Understanding Cancellation Charges for Indian Railway Tickets

When booking railway tickets in India, it's crucial to understand the cancellation policies and charges applicable to confirmed and Tatkal tickets. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the charges, based on the time of cancellation, and the refund process.

General Cancellation Policies for Confirmed Railway Tickets

The cancellation charges for confirmed railway tickets in India are determined by the time of cancellation relative to the scheduled departure of the train. Here's a breakdown:

Cancellation More Than 48 Hours Before Departure

AC Classes: Rs. 240 per passenger Sleeper Class: Rs. 120 per passenger

Cancellation Between 48 Hours and 12 Hours Before Departure

AC Classes: Rs. 400 per passenger Sleeper Class: Rs. 200 per passenger

Cancellation Less Than 12 Hours Before Departure

No refund is provided.

Tatkal Tickets

Tatkal tickets come with higher cancellation charges and no refund is provided if cancelled less than 24 hours before departure. The cancellation charges for Tatkal tickets are as follows:

Tatkal AC Classes: Rs. 800 per passenger Tatkal Sleeper Class: Rs. 400 per passenger

Refund Process

The cancellation process can typically be done online through the Indian Railways reservation counters or by calling the customer service. The refund, if any, will be credited to the original payment mode.

Refund Details for Cancelled Tickets

Below are the detailed refund policies for cancellations of e-tickets before and after the chart preparation of the train:

Before Chart Preparation of the Train

Cancellation More Than 48 Hours Before Departure: AC First Class/Executive Class: Rs. 240 per passenger AC 2 Tier/First Class: Rs. 200 per passenger AC 3 Tier/AC Chair Car/ AC 3 Economy: Rs. 180 per passenger Sleeper Class: Rs. 120 per passenger Second Class: Rs. 60 per passenger Cancellation Between 48 Hours and 12 Hours Before Departure: AC Classes: 25% of the fare Sleeper Class: 25% of the fare Cancellation Less Than 12 Hours Before Departure: AC Classes: 50% of the fare Sleeper Class: 50% of the fare

After Chart Preparation of the Train

For normal users, e-tickets cannot be cancelled after chart preparation. Users are asked to file an TDR (Ticket Dependency Report) and track the status of the refund through IRCTC's tracking service. No refund will be granted on confirmed reservations unless a TDR is filed at least 30 minutes before the train departure.

Miscellaneous Cancellation Policies

Additional policies to keep in mind:

No refund for RAC ( Reservation Against Cancellation) and waiting list tickets before four hours of the train's departure. For family or party e-tickets, full refund (less luggage charges) is admissible only if both conditions are met: ticket cancellation online or TDR filed online, all passengers' tickets cancelled up to 30 minutes before the train's departure. Partial cancellations of Tatkal e-tickets are allowed.

Conclusion

Understanding the cancellation charges and policies is essential to avoid unnecessary financial loss. Always make sure to cancel tickets early to save on charges. For the most current policies and guidelines, visit the Indian Railways website or app.