What is the penalty for carrying a gas cylinder on a train?
Gas cylinders, petrol, fireworks, acids and similar goods carry a minimum ₹10,000 fine and can mean imprisonment.
What it costs
₹10,000, up to 6 months in prison
Railways Act, 1989, section 165.
Raised from ₹1,000 on 1 July 2026 under the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026. Most pages still quote the old figure.
The rule
This is the most serious offence an ordinary passenger commits by accident, usually while moving house or carrying a spare cooking cylinder. It is treated as endangering the train, not as a luggage infringement.
Other rules at this stage
Most on-the-spot fines are collected before you ever reach a coach.
A platform ticket is not a travel ticket
A platform ticket lets you see someone off. Boarding on one makes you a ticketless traveller.
₹500, plus the fare
No smoking anywhere on the railway
Smoking on a train or anywhere on railway premises now carries a ₹2,000 fine.
₹2,000
Book excess luggage before you board
Excess booked in advance costs 1.5 times the luggage rate. The same excess found unbooked costs six times.
Unauthorised selling and begging
Hawking or begging on a train or platform carries ₹2,000, and ₹5,000 if repeated.
₹2,000, ₹5,000 if repeated
Questions
What is the penalty for carrying a gas cylinder on a train?
Gas cylinders, petrol, fireworks, acids and similar goods carry a minimum ₹10,000 fine and can mean imprisonment. This is the most serious offence an ordinary passenger commits by accident, usually while moving house or carrying a spare cooking cylinder. It is treated as endangering the train, not as a luggage infringement.
What is the fine for this in 2026?
₹10,000, up to 6 months in prison. This rose from ₹1,000 on 1 July 2026 under the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026.
What do people get wrong about this?
A small sealed cylinder is not a lesser offence. The rule is about the category of goods, not the quantity.
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