Train Ticket Cancelled? Here’s How to Get Instant Refunds Easily

Train travel is one of the most affordable and convenient modes of transport in the country. However, due to many unavoidable reasons we have to cancel our journey and train ticket. An important concern regarding train ticket cancellations is the refund and the time taken to get it transferred.

Passengers wonder when they will get their refund and if there is any way to get it faster. Standard refunds by IRCTC take around 3-7 working days. However, you can speed up this time period using smart techniques.

Here we are going to discuss methods to secure instant refunds, IRCTC’s train cancellation policy along with some final tips and tricks. So, sit back, relax and soak in as we clear all train ticket refund issues for you. 

How to Get Instant Refunds on Train Ticket Cancellations?

The time taken to complete your refund often depends upon the original payment method used for booking the train ticket. Some payment methods take minutes to refund, some might take hours while others may take many days.

We have compiled a list of the methods that has the fastest refund speed:

IRCTC iPay

IRCTC’s iPay is IRCTC’s own payment system to make the bookings and refunds faster. Earlier, IRCTC used the help of third-party applications which was the main reason behind the delays. 

Tickets booked through IRCTC iPay get refunded almost instantly after cancellation. With this system you can go for the AutoPay feature. With AutoPay you can create a UPI mandate or a card lien in advance. However, the money is deducted only when confirmed. 

Thus the AutoPay feature of IRCTC iPay service allows you to get refunds instantly and automatically in case of an Unconfirmed train ticket.

IRCTC’s eWallet

IRCTC’s eWallet is, as the name suggests, a wallet service provided with the IRCTC. With this wallet you can maintain balance with IRCTC which you can use to book tickets. 

Through this eWallet you can book tickets faster as well as receive instant refunds. Although the official stated time is within 24 hours, you would get refunds much faster than this period. 

An important thing to note regarding eWallet is that the refund amount is transferred to the eWallet. This refund amount cannot be used elsewhere, but only for railway related purchases.

UPI Payments

UPI payments are getting more popular day by day. This payment system allows for instant money transfer and can be helpful in getting your refunds quickly. 

You can make UPI payments through various apps like BHIM, PhonePe, GooglePe, etc. IRCTC iPay fully supports UPI as one of the payment options. By coupling UPI with IRCTC’s iPay you can avail the benefits of the both. 

You can use this method to cancel a ticket as well as book an alternative train for your journey. An important service that needs to be checked before making a new booking is train seat availability. This service can be easily accessed on the RailMitra platform. 

Train Ticket Cancellation Rules and Charges

IRCTC has formulated different rules for cancellation of train ticket belonging to different classes and categories. Let’s take a look at them one by one.

• Confirmed (CNF) Ticket: 

Confirmed tickets carry a Cancellation fee which depends upon the time of cancellation.

• 48 hours before the time of departure: During this period, cancellation of confirmed train ticket levies a fixed amount of fee, per cancelled passenger. These are:

• • ₹240 for AC First Class/Executive Class
  • ₹200 for AC 2 Tier/First Class
  • ₹180 for AC 3 Tier/AC Chair car/ AC 3 Economy
  • ₹120 for Sleeper Class 
  • ₹60 for Second Class

• 48-12 hours before the time of departure: During this period 25% of the ticket price is deducted. If this value is lesser than the minimum cancellation charges defined above (48 hours before), then the bigger of the two would be deducted. 

• 12-4 hours before the time of departure: During this period, 50% of fare is deducted. 

• Within 4 hours before departure or after the Chart preparation: Once the chart is prepared, which is usually 4 hours before departure, no refund is entertained online. You need to file a Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR) for a refund in this time frame. However, it is a time consuming process which can take more than 60 days to complete. 

• Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC) Ticket:

An RAC ticket can be cancelled 30 minutes before the time of departure. A minimal charge of ₹60 is deducted as a clerkage fee. 

• If the RAC train ticket gets confirmed, then the cancellation charges and rules would be the same as that of a Confirmed ticket. 
• If the RAC ticket is not cancelled, then it is treated as a Confirmed train ticket with no automatic cancellations.
• If you want to cancel your RAC ticket after ‘the 30 minutes before the time of departure’ period, you would need to file a TDR.
• You can cancel RAC tickets partially. If two people booked RAC tickets, out of which one got confirmed while the other didn’t. The latter person can partially cancel the ticket while the confirmed ticket holder can board the train.

• Waiting List (WL) Ticket:

A Waiting List (WL) train ticket can be cancelled 30 minutes before the time of departure. A minimal charge of ₹60 is deducted as a clerkage fee.

• If the WL train ticket gets confirmed, then the cancellation charges and rules would be the same as that of a Confirmed ticket. 
• If the WL ticket is not Confirmed, it is automatically cancelled. A minimal clerkage fee of ₹60 is deducted.
• You can cancel WL tickets partially. If two people booked WL tickets, out of which one got confirmed while the other didn’t. The latter person can partially cancel their ticket while the confirmed ticket holder can board the train freely.
• In case of partial confirmation, i.e., few passengers of a train ticket are CNF while others are in WL status, cancellation is necessary. In case CNF passengers board the train while WL passengers don’t, you would need to file a TDR. Try to avoid this situation and cancel 30 minutes for departure in case of partial confirmation. 

• Tatkal Tickets:

Tatkal tickets are booked one day before the date of journey and cancellation charges are stricter here.

• Confirmed Tatkal Ticket: No refund is allotted for the voluntary cancellation of a confirmed tatkal ticket.

• Waiting List Tatkal Ticket:

• • If the WL Tatkal Ticket remains Waitlisted it automatically gets cancelled like a General WL ticket. The whole amount is refunded with a clerkage charge of ₹60 being deducted. 
  • If the WL Tatkal ticket gets Confirmed then no refund is allowed.

• Premium Tatkal Tickets:

For Confirmed Premium Tatkal Tickets no refund is allowed. In Premium Tatkal there is no provision for WL tickets and only Confirmed tickets are booked.

• Offline/ Counter tickets:

Offline or Counter tickets follow the same cancellation timing as that of online tickets and have the same amount of cancellation charges. Nowadays you can also cancel your counter tickets online at the IRCTC Counter Ticket Cancellation portal.

• Automatic Refunds on Train Cancellation

If the train is cancelled or delayed more than 3 hours, you are entitled to a full refund. For a train ticket booked online, refund is processed automatically. 

For offline tickets you would need to visit the counter to receive the refund. You need to visit the counter within 3 days from the date of departure. 

The same provision of refund is initiated if the train reroutes and skips your boarding station or if your train coach isn’t attached to the train. 

Special Tip: You can do PNR Status check for railway ticket to find if the train has been cancelled or not. PNR Status shows the status of the booking in real time. Train cancellations are duly reflected in the PNR status.

Some Tips for Faster Refunds

• Use faster payment methods like UPI, IRCTC eWallet for faster refunds.
• Try to cancel as early as possible to get the maximum amount as a refund.
• Beware of any scam calls asking for OTP or other sensitive information. 
• You can find real time updates of the train by tracking train live running status on map. Knowing the delay time or if the train is cancelled helps you decide if you should cancel the booking or not. 
• If the train is cancelled, do not manually cancel an online booked ticket. IRCTC would deduct cancellation charges as a normal cancelled ticket. Let IRCTC cancel the tickets in such cases.

Conclusion

Train ticket cancellations aren’t hectic anymore. Thanks to the new faster payment methods like IRCTC’S iPay, eWallet and UPI you can get your refunds almost instantly.

By having the information regarding IRCTC’s cancellation and refund policies for different ticket categories, travellers can save themselves from the cancellation charges. Stay informed, plan wisely and enjoy a beautiful train experience with your friend on the rail, RailMitra.