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Are you familiar with the cancellation and refund rules for Indian Railway tickets? Whether due to unforeseen circumstances or changes in travel plans, many travelers find themselves needing to cancel their train tickets. However, navigating the refund process can be confusing, leaving travelers wondering how much of their money they'll get back according to the rules. Let's understand the intricacies of IRCTC's cancellation and refund policies to shed light on this often perplexing topic.
Now, passengers will be happy to see the refund they will get for cancelling waiting list, RAC, or confirmed tickets. According to media reports, this decision of the railway came in response to the complaint of a social information rights activist from Giridih, Sunil Kumar Khandelwal. It is said that Khandelwal complained of being charged extra in the name of fees.
In his complaint, he wrote that if a passenger books a ticket from the IRCTC official website and the ticket remains in the waiting list if it is not confirmed until the train opens, then the railway automatically cancels those tickets. Referring to a ticket of his friend, he said that when a waiting list ticket worth 190 rupees was cancelled automatically, the railway deducted the remaining amount and only refunded 95 rupees.
According to the information received, Indian Railways will now deduct ₹60 per person if someone cancels an RAC or waiting list ticket under the new rules.
1. Cancellation Charges for Confirmed Tickets
When cancelling a confirmed e-ticket for IRCTC trains, the amount deducted varies based on the time of cancellation and the ticket's status:
a) Cancellation Charges More Than 48 Hours in Advance
If cancelling more than forty-eight (48) hours before the scheduled departure, the following flat cancellation charges per passenger will apply:
| Class of Ticket | Cancellation Charges per Passenger |
|---|---|
| Executive Class (EC) | ₹240/- +GST |
| AC Chair Car (CC) | ₹180/- +GST |
b) Cancellation Charges Between 48 and 12 Hours Before Departure
Cancellation charges of 25% of the fare subject to the minimum cancellation charge plus GST are applicable for all AC classes.
c) Cancellation Charges Within 12 Hours to 4 Hours Before Departure
For cancellations within twelve (12) hours to four (4) hours before departure, 50% of the fare subject to the minimum cancellation charge plus GST is deducted.
d) No Refund for Untimely Cancellations
No refund is admissible for confirmed tickets if not cancelled online or TDR not filed online up to four hours before the scheduled departure.
2. Cancellation Charges for Waitlisted Tickets
a) Cancellation Charges for Online Cancellations
For wait-listed e-tickets cancelled online up to four hours before departure, a cancellation charge of ₹20/- +GST per passenger is deducted.
b) Automatic Cancellation for Fully Waitlisted Tickets
If all passengers on a ticket remain on the waiting list after the first charting, the system will automatically cancel the tickets and refund the full fare.
3. Cancellation Charges for Partially Confirmed Tickets
a) Cancellation with Confirmed Reservation
For party e-tickets with some passengers confirmed and others on the waiting list, full refund less ₹20/- +GST per passenger is admissible if all passengers are cancelled online up to four hours before departure.
b) Partial Cancellation After First Charting
Partial cancellation without deducting cancellation charges is allowed for confirmed passengers if all passengers are cancelled online after the first charting and up to thirty minutes before departure.
c) Refund for Untraveled Waitlisted Passengers
If some passengers on a party e-ticket are on the waiting list and do not travel, a certificate from ticket checking staff is required for refund, to be processed online through TDR.
4. Cancellation Charges for Wait List Tickets Dropped from Charting
For wait-listed e-tickets where all passengers remain on the waiting list after charting, full fare is refunded without deducting any cancellation charges.
5. Cancellation Charges for Full Train Cancellation
In case of full train cancellations, automatic full refund of fare on confirmed e-tickets is credited back to the booking account without the need for online cancellation or TDR filing.
6. Cancellation Charges for Partial Train Cancellation
For partial train cancellations, TDR must be filed online up to seventy-two hours before scheduled departure.
7. Cancellation Charges for Delayed Trains
No cancellation charges apply, and full fare is refunded for trains running more than three hours late if TDR is filed online before departure and no passengers have travelled.
