Loud music on trains: Southern Railway warns of Rs 1,000 fine, jail
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Southern Railway warned on October 19, 2026 that playing phone audio on speaker or loud calls in trains can bring a Rs 1,000 fine, and jail if it continues.
What Happened
Southern Railway has told its divisions to act against passengers who play music or videos on phone speakers, or make loud calls, in trains and at stations, and has warned that offenders can be fined up to Rs 1,000. The directive, reported on Monday, October 19, 2026, rests on Section 145(2) of the Railways Act as amended by the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026. Divisions have been asked to send in a report on how they are carrying it out by Tuesday, October 20. In the same week, the British government launched its own campaign against "headphone dodgers" on buses and trains.
Key Facts
- Who issued it: Southern Railway, one of Indian Railways' zones, directed its divisions to warn and act against noisy phone use.
- What is covered: playing music, videos or other audio on a phone's speaker, and loud phone conversations that cause a nuisance to other passengers, in trains and on railway premises.
- First-level penalty: removal from railway premises, a fine of up to Rs 1,000, and forfeiture of the ticket or pass.
- If the nuisance continues after a railway official asks the passenger to stop: simple imprisonment of up to six months and a fine of up to Rs 5,000.
- Who can fine: commercial staff of ticket-examiner rank and above.
- Normal phone use is not an offence; action applies only when the behaviour amounts to a nuisance, according to the reports.
- In the UK, guidance under the Bus Services Act 2025 lets local transport authorities in England set rules allowing fines of up to £100 for playing audio aloud on buses, alongside a "share the carriage, not the noise" poster campaign on trains.
Why It Matters
Anyone who has taken an overnight sleeper train knows the problem: a reel or a song playing at full volume from someone's phone, or a long call on speaker at midnight. For young people who travel by train for college, exams and jobs, often on long overnight routes, the train is a shared space in which sleep and quiet matter. The new directive turns what was mostly a matter of manners into an enforceable rule with clear penalties.
The idea is not new. The Railway Board asked zones to curb loud phone use as far back as 2012, but reports say the effort had little effect in many areas. What has changed is the legal basis. The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 amended the Railways Act, and Southern Railway is now using Section 145(2) to give ticket examiners the power to fine on the spot.
Britain is moving the same way at the same time, which shows this is a common problem of the smartphone age rather than a local quirk. There, local councils can write bylaws allowing fines of up to £100 for playing music or videos aloud on buses, while train operators can already fine up to £1,000 for similar behaviour. Enforcement there is to be left to transport safety officers and police, not drivers. The union Unite called the plans well meaning but inadequate, arguing that drivers face more serious problems, such as violence.
What should you do? The simplest step is to carry earphones on every journey and keep calls short and quiet, especially in sleeper coaches and at night. If someone else's phone is disturbing you, ask politely first. If that does not work, you can approach the on-board staff or the travelling ticket examiner, or register a complaint through the railways' RailMadad grievance system, according to the reports. Avoid confronting other passengers or filming them for social media; let railway staff handle it.
| Country | Where | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| India (Southern Railway) | Trains and railway premises | Up to Rs 1,000 and removal; up to six months' jail and Rs 5,000 if the nuisance continues after a warning |
| UK (England) | Buses, under local bylaws | Up to £100 |
| UK | Trains, existing powers of operators | Up to £1,000 |
Impact
Short-term: Passengers on Southern Railway trains can expect announcements, warnings from ticket examiners and, in some cases, fines for playing audio on speaker or making loud calls that disturb others.
Long-term: If enforcement works in the south, other zones may follow, making quiet phone use the normal expectation across Indian trains, as it is becoming in other countries.
Who is affected: Train passengers in Southern Railway's area, especially students and young workers on long and overnight journeys; ticket examiners and commercial staff who must enforce the rule; and, in the UK, bus and train passengers in England.
Key Takeaway
Southern Railway has warned that playing phone audio on speaker or making loud calls on trains can bring a Rs 1,000 fine, and up to six months' jail if the nuisance continues after a warning.
Questions and Answers
Is playing music on speaker in trains now punishable with a fine?
Yes, in Southern Railway's area. Its directive, reported on October 19, 2026, says passengers who cause a nuisance by playing audio on speaker or making loud calls can be removed, fined up to Rs 1,000 and lose their ticket, under Section 145(2) of the Railways Act.
Can someone be jailed for loud phone use on a train?
Only if the nuisance continues after an authorised railway official tells the passenger to stop. In that case the law allows simple imprisonment of up to six months and a fine of up to Rs 5,000.
Will I be fined for taking a normal phone call on a train?
No. According to the reports, ordinary phone use does not attract action; the penalty applies when loud calls or speaker audio become a nuisance to other passengers.
What are the "headphone dodgers" fines in the UK?
In England, local transport authorities can make bylaws allowing fines of up to £100 for playing music or videos aloud on buses, under the Bus Services Act 2025. Train operators can already fine up to £1,000 for similar behaviour.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
Reported, fact-checked and published by the Peepals Global Editorial Team.
