Indian Railways and IRCTC have introduced new rules for ticket cancellation and refunds effective from April 1, 2026. These changes were announced by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav to stop ticket black-marketing and ensure waiting list passengers get seats faster. The new policy changes how much money passengers get back when they cancel their confirmed tickets.
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What are the new cancellation charges for confirmed tickets?
The amount of refund depends on when you cancel your ticket before the train departs. If you cancel more than 72 hours before departure, you get a full refund after a minimum flat charge. For cancellations between 24 to 72 hours, 25% of the fare is deducted. If you cancel between 8 to 24 hours, 50% of the fare will be deducted.
| Class | Minimum Cancellation Fee |
|---|---|
| AC First Class/Executive Class | ₹240 |
| AC 2 Tier/First Class | ₹200 |
| AC 3 Tier/AC Chair Car/AC 3 Economy | ₹180 |
| Sleeper Class | ₹120 |
| Second Class | ₹60 |
When will passengers get zero refund?
Under the new rules, no refund will be given if a confirmed ticket is cancelled less than 8 hours before the scheduled departure of the train. This is a change from the previous rule where some refund was possible up to 4 hours before. Confirmed Tatkal tickets also generally follow the zero refund rule.
What other changes have been made for passengers?
Passengers can now change their boarding station online up to 30 minutes before the train departs. Tickets bought from counters can now be cancelled at any computerized reservation counter in the country. Additionally, the need to manually submit a Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR) for e-tickets has been removed, as many refunds are now processed automatically. For Tatkal tickets that remain on the waiting list, the full amount is returned after deducting clerkage charges.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
If I cancel my ticket 10 hours before the train leaves, how much refund will I get?
For cancellations between 8 to 24 hours before departure, 50% of the fare is deducted from the refund amount.
What is the cancellation charge for a Sleeper Class ticket if cancelled early?
The minimum flat cancellation fee for Sleeper Class is ₹120 per passenger if cancelled more than 48 hours before departure.