A train ride could earn you Rs 14,000: Viral tweet on silver price gap sparks debate

‘A train ride could earn you ₹14,000’: Viral tweet on silver price gap sparks debate

A social media post by food content creator Nalini Unagar, known as @NalinisKitchen on X (formerly Twitter), has gone viral for highlighting the sharp difference in silver prices between two Indian cities. Her calculation showing how a train journey could yield a profit of over Rs 14,000 has caught the attention of both traders and casual investors online.

In her post, she compared the price of 1 kg of silver in two Indian cities on October 14:

Ahmedabad: Rs 1,89,000

Visakhapatnam: Rs 2,06,000

Then came her unique business model: a return train ticket between the two cities costs roughly Rs 2,000.

After deducting travel costs and basic tax, she estimated a net profit of approximately Rs 14,490 per trip, achievable in about three days. "Repeat this 3–4 times a month," she noted, "and you could earn Rs 43,000–Rs 58,000."

1 kg Silver Price
- Ahmedabad: ₹1,89,000
- Visakhapatnam: ₹2,06,000

Return Train (Ahmedabad → Visakhapatnam): ₹2,000

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Gross Profit: ₹17,000
Tax: ₹510
Net Profit: ₹14,490 (per trip, ~3 days)

If repeated 3–4 times a month, total monthly profit ≈ ₹43,000 – ₹58,000

— Nalini Unagar (@NalinisKitchen) October 14, 2025

The post has gained attention, with users calling it "the most Indian arbitrage idea ever."

Commenting on the post, a user said, "There is huge spread in buying and selling rate. While buying price is Rs 2 lakh, selling price is Rs 1.8 lakh. So, even if you buy in Ahmedabad at Rs 1.89 lakh, you won't be able to sell at a price Rs 1.89 lakh"

There is huge spread in buying and selling rate. While buying price is ~2L, selling price is ~1.8L

So, even if you buy in Ahmedabad at 1.89L, you won't be able to sell at a price >1.89L

— CA Atishay Jain | Investment Manager (@Caatishay) October 14, 2025

Contradicting the youtuber's formula, another user commented, "silver prices don't vary that much between cities (no way 17k). Prices are nationally regulated after all. GST on silver is 3%, which alone wipes out most of the claimed profit. You have to be a registered GST dealer, carry a valid tax invoice, e-way bill, ensure the silver is accounted for in your books. So you are incurring further tax. Silver prices fluctuate daily. By the time you reach Visakhapatnam, the price could drop, turning your "profit" into a loss.

1. afaik, silver prices don't vary that much between cities (no way 17k). Prices are nationally regulated after all.
2. GST on silver is 3%, which alone wipes out most of the claimed profit.
3. You have to be a registered GST dealer, carry a valid tax invoice, e-way bill, ensure…

— 𝕊𝕧𝕚𝕜𝕔 (@Polaapaan) October 14, 2025

Even though the youtuber's expertise lies in food and lifestyle content, her tweet inadvertently highlighted a real phenomenon of regional disparities in bullion pricing. These differences occur due to factors such as local demand-supply, logistics costs, state taxes, and dealer margins.