The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is the major operator in charge of ticketing operations for Indian Railways. Its defined ticket cancellation procedures and standards are a crucial part of travel. A good understanding of these restrictions becomes useful for travellers, allowing them to manage the refund procedure smoothly.
Important Rules To Keep In Mind While Canceling Train Tickets
1. Charges for Cancellation Within 48 to 12 Hours
- When cancellations occur between 48 to 12 hours of the scheduled departure, the prices or the charges range from 25% to 50% of the e-ticket fee, with the larger value between these percentages or the minimum rate mentioned previously taking priority.
- This means that depending on the time of cancellation, travellers will be charged a percentage of the ticket value as cancellation fees.
- The suitable price will be either 25% or 50% of the e-ticket fare, whichever is larger, or it may correspond to the previously indicated minimum charge.
2. Charges for Cancelling Confirmed Tickets
- Cancellation fees for confirmed e-tickets vary depending on ticket class and time of cancellation, especially if cancelled more than 48 hours before planned departure.
- Charges for Second Class, for example, are ₹60, ₹200 for AC 2 Tier/First Class, 180 for AC 3 Tier/AC Chair car/AC 3 Economy, 120 for Sleeper Class, and 240 for AC First Class/Executive Class.
- It is important to remember that no fare refunds are available for confirmed reservation e-tickets unless the ticket is cancelled or a Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR) is not lodged online up to four hours before the train’s planned departure.
- Similarly, no fare refunds are permitted for RAC e-tickets if the ticket is not cancelled or a TDR is not lodged online up to thirty minutes before the train’s planned departure.
3. Cancellation After Chart Preparation
- After the train’s chart is prepared, which usually happens a few hours before departure, e-ticket cancellation becomes inaccessible.
- Passengers are urged to begin an online Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR) procedure using the IRCTC website or app in such cases.
- It is critical to remember that no reimbursements are available if confirmed bookings are not cancelled or a TDR is not completed online up to four hours before the train’s planned departure.
- This emphasizes the significance of acting quickly, since failure to do so may result in the loss of refund eligibility for confirmed reservations.
4. Cancelled E-Tickets Refund Procedure
- Refunds for cancelled e-tickets are handled by IRCTC in two categories: ‘Before Preparation of Charts’ and ‘After Preparation of Charts.’ These categories define the cancellation timetable for the corresponding train’s chart preparation.
- Refunds are normally completed within 5 to 7 business days once appropriate charges have been deducted. However, depending on the kind of payment used during the booking procedure, the actual timing may vary.
- This procedural framework seeks to streamline the refund procedure and ensure that travellers receive their due reimbursements in a timely manner.
5. Cancellation Procedure and Fees
- Cancelling e-tickets through IRCTC is only possible online and should be done before the chart preparation, which normally takes place a few hours before the train’s scheduled departure.
- This service is not available at train stations, stressing the need for online cancellations.
- Cancellation fees vary depending on the ticket class and the length of time before the scheduled departure. For confirmed tickets, they vary from $60 to 240 per person.
- To guarantee equitable reimbursement for the service, this range of costs is established to coincide with the ticket class and the date of the cancellation.
6. Cancellation Policies for Tatkal Tickets
- Cancellation policies for Tatkal tickets include a wide range of circumstances, including no refunds for confirmed Tatkal tickets and particular criteria for RAC or waitlisted tickets.
- Passengers with party or family Tatkal tickets with a mix of confirmed and waiting list statuses are eligible for a refund (excluding clerking) if the complete Tatkal ticket is submitted for cancellation up to thirty minutes before the planned departure.
- There are also specific guidelines for circumstances involving non-commencement due to train delays and reimbursements for customers forced to travel in lower classes due to a lack of available accommodation.
- Notably, pending chart preparation, confirmed bookings given to RAC or waitlisted ticket holders will be subject to the applicable cancellation costs.
