If you cancel a reserved train ticket, you are eligible for a partial or full refund of the ticket price paid at the time of reservation. The process of refunding is different for the tickets booked through counter and e-tickets. The refund amount can also vary depending on the status of the ticket. The amount depends on whether you are canceling a Confirmed ticket, RAC, Tatkal, or Waitlisted ticket, and the timing of canceling the tickets also matters. Certain rules and standards control the refund process for train tickets. Here we are going to give you an overview of some of the Indian Railways’ most essential refund policies.
Refund Policies for e-Tickets Booked Through IRCTC Website or Mobile App
The tickets booked through the website or mobile app can be canceled via the same method or PRS counter and the refund will be credited to the same bank account which you used to purchase the tickets. But as we said earlier refund amount can vary so depending on the condition amount will be deducted and the remaining amount will be credited to your bank account.
Refund policies for counter tickets
Canceling through the PRS counter- You can collect your refund amount from the PRS counter. The cancelation fee will be deducted and you will get your remaining amount.
Canceling through IRCTC online platform- If you cancel your ticket online through the IRCTC platform you can collect your refund at the station where you were supposed to catch the train or at one of PRS’s nearby satellite locations. Here you will need to submit your original tickets for canceling your tickets.
Refund policies for confirmed tickets before chart preparation
Whether you want to cancel the online booked tickets or PRS confirmed tickets the refund amount will depend on the timing of ticket cancelation.
48 hours before the start of the journey: Here are refund policies for canceling the ticket 48 before the journey.
- 240 + GST for AC First Class or Executive class
- 200 + GST for AC 2-tier or First Class
- 180 + GST for AC 3-tier, AC Chair Car, or AC 3-Economy
- 120 + GST for Sleeper Class
- 60 + GST for Second Class
- 48 hours to 12 hours: If you cancel the ticket 48 to 12 hours before the journey, then you will get the refund after deducting 25% of the train ticket fare.
- 12 hours and up to 4 hours: If you cancel the ticket 12 to 4 hours before the journey starts, then you will get the refund after deducting 50% of the train ticket fare.
- After the train has departed: In case you cancel the ticket after the train has started then you won’t get any refund.
Railway refund policies after chart preparation
The chart is prepared within four hours of the journey’s scheduled start. And if you cancel the ticket after the chart has been prepared then you will have to file TDR (Ticket Deposit Receipt). In case you don’t cancel your ticket or file a TDR up to 4 hours before the train is set to leave the station. Then you won’t be eligible for any refund. After filling the TDR, the refund will take a minimum of 60 days or more that.
Refund policies for RAC train Tickets
- If you cancel the RAC tickets 30 minutes before the journey you will get a refund. However, the Rs 60+GST charges will be deducted.
- If the chart has been made then you will have to file the TDR (Ticket Deposit Receipt) at least 30 minutes before train departure. In case you don’t file TDR or cancel your tickets you won’t get any refund.
- In case you want to cancel confirmed RAC tickets then all the rules for confirmed tickets we have mentioned above will be applicable.
Refund policies for waitlist tickets
- In case of canceling the Waitlisted e-Tickets up to 30 minutes before the scheduled departure of the train, Rs 60 + GST per passenger will be deducted from the refund amount.
- According to IRCTC guidelines, if your Waitlisted e-Ticket (GNWL, RLWL, or PQWL) status stays the same after the chart is prepared, IRCTC will immediately return the fare after deducting applicable fees.
- Waitlisted counter tickets can be canceled at a PRS counter or on the IRCTC website/app up to 30 minutes before the train departure timing and the amount will be refunded at the counter.
- The refund criteria for confirmed tickets will apply if you have a Waitlisted ticket that is confirmed at the time of cancellation.
Refund policies for Tatkal tickets cancelation
- The refund is not guaranteed if you cancel your confirmed tatkal tickets.
- If you cancel Waitlisted Tatkal tickets, you are entitled to a refund under Indian Railways’ Waitlisted or RAC refund guidelines. After applicable clerkage charges have been deducted from the amount, the refund will be issued.
- Here are some circumstances under which you will be eligible for a complete refund:
- At the station where your journey is meant to start, the train is over 3 hours late. The train has been set up to take a route that you do not want to take.
- The train has been set up to take a route, and one or both of your source and destination stations are not on that route.
- The coach that has been given to you is not connected to the train, and you have not been allotted a seat in the same class.
You are assigned to a seat in a lower class that you do not like to travel in. If you travel in the lower class, the refund will be provided to you for the difference in the ticket price and, if applicable, Tatkal taxes.
Refund policies for Premium Tatkal Ticket Cancellation
- If you cancel your confirmed Premium Tatkal tickets, you are not eligible to a refund under IRCTC rules. You cannot book RAC or Waitlisted tickets under the PT quota.
- If you come under the 5 circumstances that we mentioned for tatkal ticket cancelation then you are eligible for confirmed Premium Tatkal tickets.
Refund policies for canceled trains
For e-Tickets- whether you have confirmed, Waitlisted, or RAC tickets, if your train is canceled for any reason, you are eligible for a full refund of your e-Ticket fee. The refund amount will be credited to the same account which you used for booking the e-tickets on the website/app. And you don’t have to cancel your ticket or file a TDR in such cases because your tickets will be automatically canceled.
For counter Tickets- In this case, you will have to cancel your tickets from a PRS counter within 72 hours of the train’s scheduled departure. And then you can collect your refund from there.
IRCTC refund policies for diverted trains
If your train is diverted from the specified route and if passengers don’t want to travel from that route then they can file a TDR and they will get a full refund. The passenger needs to file TDR up to 72 hours before the train is scheduled to depart from the station where you are expected to board.
IRCTC Refund policies for Train Running Behind Schedule by More Than 3 Hours
- You can get a refund of your e-Ticket if your train is late by 3 hours or more. To get a full refund make sure you file a TDR online before the train’s actual departure time to ensure a full refund.
- If you have a counter ticket then you will have to hand over your original ticket to the counter where your journey was supposed to begin.
- In case you cancel your ticket after your train has left the station from where you were supposed to start your journey then you won’t get any refund.
IRCTC Refund Rules for Lost or Misplaced Ticket
The passenger won’t get any refund if they have lost or misplaced their tickets. Passengers, on the other hand, can request a duplicate ticket and continue their journey.
IRCTC Refund Rules when the Railways Fails to Provide Accommodation
If passengers have a reserved ticket and the railway management fails to provide them seats or berths, they are eligible for a full refund, excluding any cancellation or clerkage fees. To get a full refund passengers will have to submit their original ticket within three hours of the train’s actual departure.
IRCTC Refund Rules for Unreserved Tickets
- If you have an unreserved ticket then you will have to cancel your ticket by submitting your ticket to the station master within 3 hours of its issuance. The clerkage charge per passenger will be deducted from the refund.
- If your unreserved ticket was booked in advance then you will have to submit your ticket at least 24 hours before the date of journey. Rs 30 clerkage charges will apply in this condition.
IRCTC Refund Rules on AC Failure
If you travel in AC coaches and Indian Railway is unable to provide AC service for a part of your journey, you will be compensated for that portion of the journey. The refund for such cases are mentioned below:
- 1 AC – the difference between 1 AC fare and First Class fare
- For 2 AC/ 3 AC – the difference between 2 AC/ 3 AC fare and Sleeper Class fare in Mails and Expresses
- For AC Chair Car – the difference between AC Chair Car fare and Second Class fare in Mails and Expresses
- Executive Class – the difference between first-class fare and Executive Class fare in Mails and Expresses
In such cases, the railway staff will give a certificate. In case you have an e-Ticket then within 20 hours of arriving at the destination, submit an online TDR and send the certificate to IRCTC by post. And if you have a counter ticket then you just have to send the certificate by post.
IRCTC Refund for Failed Transactions
If you book an e-Ticket through the IRCTC website or mobile app and the amount is taken from your account but no ticket is given, IRCTC will return you the entire amount (Excluding transaction fees for bank/cards).