Need a Duplicate Train Ticket? Here’s what you Should Know

One of the most supportive and passenger-friendly Government body, the Indian Railways, has always been hailed as the lifeline and financial backbone of our nation. It is the most active part contributing to national income. Whether it’s about to taking steps towards digitisation, providing safety to the passengers or solving the issues related to the journey, Indian Railways is always there for its passengers. The introduction of e-catering service was a milestone as one can digitally order hygienic and delicious food in train through apps and get it easily on their seat. For traveling in a train, we need to know the train number and train schedule which is the first step to plan a journey. You can buy your travel ticket either online (known as e-ticket) or offline mode from PRS counters. Once your PNR number is generated, you can pre-book your meal and also can check the confirmation status of seat/berth.

Recommended Read:How to Pre-book your meal in Advance via RailRestro

While travelling in train, tickets and identity proof are the two essential belongings to carry. But what if you have lost your ticket or your ticket is mutilated? No worries! Every problem has a remedy in the Indian Railways extant rules. Now passengers’ can get duplicate tickets, if the reserved ticket has been stolen, lost or destroyed on paying some amount. There are two mode of buying tickets one by online means via IRCTC’s official website and second by the PRS counter. To recover your lost ticket online, one can simply login to IRCTC’s account, and get back the duplicate ticket from the booking history and print it out. But if you have booked your ticket from reservation window i.e. PRS counter then immediately inform Railway Reservation Office about the loss of ticket to prevent fraudulent refunds on your ticket.

How to Get Duplicate Train Tickets: Rules, Terms and Things to Know!

For Online Tickets:
To recover your lost ticket online, one can simply login to IRCTC’s account, and get back the duplicate ticket(s) from the booking history and print it out.

For Offline Tickets:
To get duplicate ticket bought from PRS counter, kindly visit the nearest computerized Reservation Counter and contact the Chief Reservation Supervisor and inform him that you have lost your ticket and show your ID proof, used while booking the ticket. He will issue the duplicate ticket with same PNR number, only if your ticket is either in confirmed or in RAC status. There are some terms and conditions are applied on duplicate tickets.

Duplicate tickets are issued on payment of minimum charges. There are two criteria for issuing duplicate tickets:

Before preparation of Train chart: if your journey is up to 500 km, 25% of the total fare will be charged for duplicate ticket and if your journey is more the 500 km then only 10 % of the total fare will be charged to you for issuing duplicate tickets. DO NOT WORRY! The charges (10% or 25%) will be refunded to you from the counter of destination station.

Note:
For Rajdhani, Shatabdi Express trains 25% of total fare will be deducted as charges irrespective of distance as they have separate fare structure.
Duplicate tickets will only be issued if your seat is confirmed or in RAC.

If your ticket is torn or destroyed which was a Confirmed one or RAC and if you demand for duplicate ticket before chart preparation then, charges are same as applicable for issue of duplicate ticket. In case of the lost/misplaced ticket and duplicate ticket is issued if the reason is genuine and it is verified based on the particulars available on the ticket.

If chart is prepared:If train chart is prepared, then you’ll be charged 50% of your total fare, only if your ticket is confirmed.
For torn or destroyed tickets, 25% of the fare will be charged.

Note:
No duplicate tickets will be issued on lost RAC tickets.
No duplicate tickets will be issued against Wait List lost/torn/mutilated tickets.

Rules to Follow when you find your Lost Duplicate Ticket:
If you have found your lost ticket, you can submit it along with the original ticket before the departure of the train and you’ll get your refund (extra paid money; 10 % or 25%) amount. A minimum charge of 5 % will be deducted (min 20 INR) from your paid amount.

If your ticket is torn, misplaced or destroyed in train during the journey, and if you have paid excess charges in train, then submit an application to the Railway Administration for refund of charges. After making necessary enquiry, the Chief Commercial Manager of Zonal Railway will provide refund of total charges after discarding the cancellation charge at 50% on a single journey ticket per passenger provided that no one has taken refund earlier on the original ticket.

In which case you will not be granted Refund on your ticket?
If you have lost your ticket and thinking to get refund of fare from Railways through any unfair means/practices, then Railways will not grant any refund. If you want to drop your journey then you can simply cancel your ticket, only if you know your PNR number.

Tips to follow when you’re on a Long Journey in Train
In long journeys the TTEs who check your tickets are changed frequently. There’re chances when your tickets can be checked again and again till you complete the journey. Having these contingencies in mind, it is advised to get a proof of loss of ticket (if you have lost your ticket in train) either by filing an FIR or getting a written proof from the TTE or at least by getting a duplicate ticket. To avoid all this last minute hassle, kindly be careful about your tickets.