IRCTC Refund Rules 2020: Cancellation Charges for Reserved, RAC & Waitlisted Tickets; 10 Things to Know

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The revised IRCTC refund rules were introduced with the aim of limiting the scope of the abuse, making paperless ticketing easier for passengers, discouraging advertising measures and intermediaries when marketing tickets in black.

IRCTC Refund Rules 2020:

Have you cancelled a ticket? Do you fear a refund? If so, stop all your worries now! Indian Railways is constantly introducing new measures to make traveling easier for passengers. According to the national railway company’s e-ticketing and catering branch, Indian Railway Catering, and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), the new reimbursement rules have been in effect since 2015.

The revised reimbursement rules were introduced with the aim of broadening the scope of abuse, facilitating passengers through paperless ticketing, discouraging customers and representatives from marketing tickets in black. Two new additions to the IRCTC refund rules were also made in 2019.

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IRCTC Refund Rules 2020: 10 things you should know

1) For the cancellation of unreserved tickets, RAC tickets and tickets on the waiting list, cancellation fees of 30 Rs for unreserved tickets (2nd class) and 60 Rs for tickets in 2nd class (reserved) and other classes levied.

  • If confirmed reserved tickets are canceled 48 hours before the scheduled departure of the train, the cancellation fee for the first AC / Executive class is 240 rupees. second AC / first class is Rs 200; The third AC / ACC / 3A saving measure is 180 rupees. The second sleep class is Rs 120 and the second class is Rs 60.
  • If confirmed reserved tickets are canceled between 48 hours and 12 hours before the scheduled departure of the train, the cancellation fee is 25%, subject to the minimum fee set out in (i) above
  • If confirmed reserved tickets are canceled between 12 hours and 4 hours before the scheduled departure of the train, the cancellation fee is 50%, subject to the minimum fee specified in (i) above
  • Partially confirmed tickets will be refunded up to half an hour before the train’s scheduled departure
  • Unused RAC / WL tickets will be refunded up to 30 minutes before the scheduled departure of the train, less office costs.
  • An automatic refund will be given if an e-ticket is canceled. In addition, TDR registration is not required.
  • Cancellation of CNF / RAC tickets booked on premium special trains is not permitted. However, the ticket can only be canceled if the train is canceled. In these cases, the refund is granted by the PRS system.

2) If the train ticket is handed over within a certain period of time, the refund will be given to the PRS counter. If you cancel the ticket through the official IRCTC website or 139, the person can collect the refund amount at the reservation desk.

3) If someone has canceled the ticket online, the refund will be credited to their bank account within 5 days. If the ticket was canceled at the station counter, the refund will be made via the counter within 7 days.

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4) If someone wants a refund for unused tickets, he/she can ask the station managers/managers of the larger train stations, as they have special decision-making powers. This can be done if a refund at the station is not permitted due to the expiry of the specified period.

5) In situations such as flooding, excitement, etc. and if the person is unable to reach the reservation desk within the specified time, they can submit a Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR) within 3 days. The person can then request a refund of the fare from CCM. In TDR cases, the refund will be made within 90 days.

6) No refund will be given for misplaced/lost tickets. If the authenticity of a torn / garbled ticket can be verified, the person’s refund will be granted based on the information shown on the front of the ticket. If the misplaced/lost ticket is confirmed / RAC, a double permit will be issued for travel with the same reservation. However, this only takes place after payment of the fees.

7) If tatkal tickets are canceled, no refund will be granted. A ticket booked online cannot be canceled once the card has been created. In such cases, however, online TDR filing can be used to track the refund status through the IRCTC’s tracking service.

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8) If the e-ticket belongs to a family/party where some of the members have confirmed the reservation while others are on the RAC or waiting list, a full refund of the fare minus office fees will be given to confirmed members. However, this is the case if an online TDR is submitted within half an hour before the scheduled departure of the train or if the ticket is canceled online for all passengers.

9) Last year, the IRCTC introduced a new OTP-based refund system for e-tickets booked by IRCTC authorized agents. If someone intends to cancel the ticket or delete a fully waiting ticket, they will be sent an OTP SMS with the specified refund amount. The person must share the OTP with the agent who booked the ticket to receive the refund amount.

10) Another rule was introduced last year, according to which passengers have the option of linking PNRs when booking the second train ticket. If a person misses the connecting train due to the delayed travel of the first train, the fare for the will be refunded.

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Also Read, Indian Railways effects a nominal hike in passenger fares

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Manish Khandelwal
Manish Khandelwal

Manish Khandelwal, a travel-tech enthusiast with over a decade of experience in the travel industry. Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Travelobiz.com, he's passionate about writing.

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