Introduction
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is the authorised e-ticketing partner for Indian Railways. It offers a convenient online platform for booking train tickets, making rail travel more accessible for millions of passengers across the country. However, situations arise where passengers may need to cancel their tickets and seek a refund. Understanding IRCTC's refund rules is crucial for ensuring a smooth and hassle-free experience.
Refund Rules for E-Tickets
The revised refund rules, effective from 12.11.2015, aim to address various objectives, including curbing misuse, facilitating mobile ticketing, Automatic Refund for E-Tickets and discouraging black market activities. E-tickets, or electronic tickets, are the most commonly used mode of booking train tickets today.
IRCTC has a set of refund rules for e-tickets that vary depending on the time of cancellation.
Clerkage Charges for the cancellation of unreserved, RAC, and waitlisted tickets are Rs. 30 for unreserved (second class) and Rs. 60 for second class (reserved) and other classes.
The key changes are outlined below:
1. Cancellation Charges for Confirmed Tickets
Cancellation charges for confirmed tickets are based on the time of cancellation and the ticket's status. Here's a breakdown:| Time of Cancellation | Class of Your Ticket | Cancellation Charges per Passenger (Flat) + GST Applicable |
|---|---|---|
| More than 48 hours in advance | Executive Class (EC) | ₹240/- (Yes) |
| AC Chair Car (CC) | ₹180/- (Yes) | |
| Between 48 hours and 12 hours | All AC Classes | 25% of fare (subject to minimum charge) (Yes) |
| Between 12 hours and 4 hours | All AC Classes | 50% of fare (subject to minimum charge) (Yes) |
| Less than 4 hours or no online cancellation/ TDR filing | All AC Classes | No refund (Not applicable |
2.Cancellation Charges for Waitlisted Tickets:
a) Cancellation Online Up to Four Hours Before Departure
If a wait-listed ticket is canceled online, the refund will be processed after deducting a cancellation charge of ₹20/- + GST per passenger. This applies when the cancellation is done up to four hours before the scheduled departure of the train.
b) Automatic Cancellation After First Charting
If all passengers on a ticket remain on the waiting list after the first charting, there is no need for the user to cancel such tickets manually. The system will automatically cancel these tickets, and the full refund will be credited back without any deduction for cancellation.
3.Cancellation Charges for Partially Confirmed Tickets:
a) Cancellation Online Up to Four Hours Before Departure:
If a party e-ticket or a family e-ticket is issued for travel with a mix of confirmed and waitlisted passengers, a full refund of fare for confirmed passengers is admissible, less a cancellation charge of ₹20/- + GST per passenger. This refund is subject to the condition that the ticket is canceled online or an online TDR is filed for all passengers up to four hours before the scheduled departure of the train.
b) Automatic Cancellation After First Charting:
In the case of a party e-ticket or a family e-ticket with a mix of confirmed and waitlisted passengers, if some passengers have confirmed reservations and others are on the waiting list, a full refund of fare without deducting cancellation charges is admissible for confirmed passengers. This refund is subject to the condition that the ticket is canceled online or an online TDR is filed for all passengers after the first charting and up to thirty minutes before the scheduled departure of the train.
c) Refund Process for Waiting List Passengers Not Traveling:
For party e-tickets or family e-tickets issued for travel with a mix of confirmed and waitlisted passengers, if passengers on the waiting list do not travel, a certificate must be obtained from the ticket checking staff. The refund of fare for passengers not traveling on the waiting list is processed online through TDR. The online TDR should be filed within seventy-two (72) hours of the actual arrival of the train at the passengers' destination. The original certificate issued by the ticket checking staff should be sent through post to Group General Manager/IT, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd., Internet Ticketing Centre, IRCA Building, State Entry Road, New Delhi – 110055.
4. Cancellation Charges for Waitlist Tickets Dropped from Charting:
In the event of wait-listed e-tickets where all passengers remain on the waiting list even after the reservation chart is prepared, the names of all such passengers on that Passenger Name Record (PNR) will be removed from the reservation chart. A full refund of the fare will be credited back to the account used for the booking transaction, without any deduction for cancellation charges.
5. Cancellation Charges for Full Cancellation of Train (from originating station to destination station):
For full cancellations of trains from the source to the destination, an automatic full refund of fare on confirmed e-tickets will be directly credited back to the account from which the booking transaction took place. There is no requirement for online cancellation or filing of TDR in such cases.
6. Cancellation Charges for Partial Cancellation of Train:
In the case of partial train cancellations, train diversions, or short terminations, TDR must be filed online up to seventy-two hours before the scheduled departure of the train at the passenger’s boarding station.
7. Cancellation Charges for Train Running More than 3 Hours Late and Passenger Not Traveled:
No cancellation charge will be imposed, and a full fare refund will be issued to all passengers holding fully or partially confirmed tickets if the journey is not undertaken due to the train running late by more than three hours of the scheduled departure from the station commencing the journey. This is subject to the following conditions:
i. The train is running late by more than three hours at the passenger's boarding station.
ii. TDR is filed online before the actual departure of the train to avail a full refund.
iii. None of the passengers booked on a PNR have traveled.
