Whenever you cancel an IRCTC train ticket, you receive either a full or part of the ticket price you paid at ticket reservation time. The refund procedure differs between e-tickets and counter-tickets purchased through IRCTC. Furthermore, the refund amount differs according to the ticket status, whether it's about canceling a Confirmed, Waitlisted, RAC, or Tatkal ticket. IRCTC has certain rules to control the refund procedure for rail tickets. In this article, you will learn about Indian Railways Train tickets, cancellations, refunds, and policies.

Indian Railways Refund Rules

Here are the IRCTC refund rules in different scenarios.

Refund Policy for IRCTC Website/Mobile App Booked e-Tickets

You can claim a refund for e-tickets you booked online using the IRCTC mobile app or website by canceling tickets online as per IRCTC ticket cancellation policy. After that, you can get an Indian Railways train ticket cancellation refund online. Train cancellation fees get deducted from the total amount you paid, and you receive the remaining refund in the account you used to make the payment.

Railway Counter Tickets Refund Rules

When you cancel your ticket at a PRS (Passenger reservation system) counter, you can get a refund from the counter after the deduction of applied cancellation fees.

Moreover, when you cancel your counter tickets online via the IRCTC App or website, you will receive your refund at the station where you were due to board the train. To receive your refund, you must submit your ticket.

IRCTC Refund policy for Confirmed Tickets Before Chart Preparation

Whether it is e-tickets or counter tickets, the refund for confirmed tickets is computed depending on when you cancel the ticket with respect to the train's departure. The following are Indian Railways refund rules for booked tickets:

• Refund after deduction of a cancellation fee 48 hours before departure
• INR 240 + tax for AC First Class or Executive class
• INR 200 + tax for AC 2-tier or 1^st Class.
• INR 180 + tax for AC 3-tier, AC Chair Car, or AC 3-Economy
• INR 120 + tax for Sleeper Class
• INR 60 + tax for 2^nd Class
• Refund after a 25% deduction on the total fare before 48 to 12 hours before departure
• Refund after a 50% deduction of the total fare if you cancel before 12 to 4 hours before departure.
• There won’t be any refund after the train has departed.

Refund Policy for Confirmed Tickets Following Chart Preparation

You must submit a ticket deposit receipt to receive a refund for a booked ticket after the chart has been generated. Refunds are not available for booked tickets if you don’t cancel the ticket or file a TDR at least four hours before the train is scheduled to depart. Refunding a ticket fare requested through TDR will take at least 60 days if not more.

IRCTC RAC Ticket Refund Rules

• If you cancel your confirmed RAC tickets a maximum of thirty minutes before the train is scheduled to leave the station, you will receive a refund. A cancellation fee of INR 60 + tax per person applies to the refund.
• You must file a TDR at least 30 minutes before the train's departure to get a refund for your RAC ticket once the chart has been created.
• You will not be refunded if you do not cancel your RAC ticket or complete the TDR within the time frame specified.
• If you have a confirmed RAC ticket at the time of cancellation, the refund procedures for confirmed tickets will apply.

IRCTC Refund Policy for Waitlist Tickets

• When you cancel your Waitlisted e-tickets for a maximum of thirty minutes before the train's planned departure, you will get a refund minus the cancellation cost of INR 60 + tax per person.
• If you have a Waitlisted e-ticket and its status stays the same even after the change is made, IRCTC will immediately refund the fare after deducting relevant costs.
• You can cancel waitlisted counter tickets at a PRS counter or the IRCTC mobile app or website a maximum of thirty minutes before the train departure and get a refund at the counter.
• If you have a confirmed waitlisted ticket at the time of cancellation, the confirmed ticket refund policy will apply.

IRCTC Tatkal Ticket Cancellation Charges

You will get no refund upon canceling your confirmed Tatkal tickets. In the Waitlisted Tatkal tickets scenario, you have the right to a refund under Indian Railways' Waitlisted policy. You will get the refund after the relevant clerk costs have been deducted from your total fare. Please keep in mind that if you cancel your booked Tatkal tickets for any of the following reasons, you will receive a full refund:

• The train is more than three hours late at the station where the journey is meant to begin.
• The train is scheduled to take a detour you do not wish to take.
• The train takes a detour, and your destination stations are not on it.
• The coach to which your Tatkal seat was assigned is not connected to the train, and you have not been assigned a seat in the same class.
• You are assigned a seat in a lower class that you do not like to travel in. You will get a refund If you travel in the lower class for the difference in ticket price.

IRCTC Refund Rules for Cancelled Trains

If your train gets canceled due to some problems, you will get a full refund of your e-ticket fee, regardless of whether you have RAC, confirmed, or waitlisted tickets.

If you have e-tickets, your refund is transferred to the account you used to purchase the ticket. In such instances, you do not need to cancel your e-ticket or file a TDR because the department will immediately cancel the ticket.

For counter tickets, you can get a refund from a PRS counter. But, you will need to cancel your ticket within 72 hours of the train's departure.

IRCTC Diverted Trains Refund Rules

If your train is rerouted from its original schedule and you wish to avoid traveling along the new route, you can receive a full refund. You must register a TDR up to 72 hours before the train's scheduled departure time from the station.

Conclusion

Indian Railways' train ticket policy is very straightforward for the convenience of passengers. You can get your refund based on several factors and rules listed above. I hope this guide will help you understand IRCTC rules and policies regarding Indian Railways, train tickets, cancellations, and refunds. You must know these rules to avoid trouble after booking your tickets.