Revenue receipts from upper class passengers at Rs 3079.61 crore (Rs 30.79 billion) in 2006-07 was lower than the budget estimation of Rs 3174.80 crore (Rs 31.74 billion).

For 2007-08, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad has pegged the earnings from this segment at Rs 3553.39 crore (Rs 35.53 billion). In 2005-06, earnings from upper class travellers was Rs 2693.59 crore (Rs 26.93 billion).

In a bid to attract more passengers to AC First and AC 2-Tier, the Railway Minister in his budget for 2007-08 slashed fares by 3-4 per cent during busy season and by up to 8 per cent during lean season.

Earnings from second class passengers in 2006-07 was Rs 14,320.39 crore (Rs 143.20 billion) as against budget provision of Rs 13,625.20 crore (Rs 136.25 billion). Prasad sees a 15 per cent jump in these earnings in 2007-08 to Rs 16,521.61 crore (Rs 165.21 billion). The segment gave Rs 12,432.40 crore (Rs 124.32 billion) in revenues in 2005-06.

Earnings from goods transportation clocked a 5 per cent increase to Rs 42,299 crore (Rs 422.99 billion) in 2006-07 over budget estimate of Rs 40,320 crore (Rs 403.20 billion).  For 2007-08, revenues from this segment, which contributes 64 per cent of the total earnings, has been projected at Rs 46,943 crore (Rs 469.43 billion).

Goods earnings in 2005-06 stood at Rs 36,286.97 crore (Rs 362.86 billion).  The total fare and goods tariff earnings in 2007-08 has been put at Rs 71,218 crore (Rs 712.18 billion) as against the Rs 63,120 crore (Rs 631.20 billion) revised estimate for 2006-07 and Rs 54,404.56 crore (Rs 544.04 billion) for 2005-06.

Railway Budget 2007-08: Complete Coverage