What’s inside:
New refund rules for Amrit Bharat and Vande Bharat sleeper trains have been introduced, effective from January 16, 2026.
The Indian Railway Ministry has announced new refund rules for Amrit Bharat and Vande Bharat sleeper trains. These rules came into effect on January 16, 2026, and aim to manage ticket cancellations more strictly.
Under the new guidelines, if you have a confirmed ticket for these trains, you can only cancel it eight hours before the train departs. If you miss this window or fail to submit an online TDR (Ticket Deposit Receipt), you will lose the entire ticket amount.
For those with confirmed tickets, the existing rule allows cancellations up to four hours before departure for other trains. However, for Amrit Bharat and Vande Bharat, the time limit is much stricter, and even a minute’s delay will mean no refund.
If you cancel your ticket 72 hours before departure, you will get back 75% of the fare. If you cancel between 72 hours and eight hours before, you will receive only 50%. But if you cancel after the eight-hour mark, you won’t get any refund at all.
The railway authorities advise passengers to pay close attention to these time limits to avoid financial loss. These changes aim to improve seat management in premium trains and reduce last-minute cancellations.
Summary:
- New refund rules for Amrit Bharat and Vande Bharat trains are now in place.
- Tickets must be canceled at least eight hours before departure for a refund.
- Different percentages of fare will be refunded based on how early the cancellation is made.
- Even a minute’s delay in cancellation means no refund.
- Passengers are urged to be mindful of these rules to avoid losses.