What’s inside:
This article shares important information about the cancellation rules for the new Vande Bharat sleeper trains in India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently flagged off India’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train. If you plan to travel on this train and are thinking about booking tickets, it’s crucial to understand the cancellation rules to avoid losing money.
The Indian Railways has made it more expensive to cancel confirmed tickets for the Vande Bharat sleeper trains. If you cancel your ticket more than 72 hours before departure, you will get a 75% refund, but if it’s less than that, the rules become stricter.
Specifically, if you cancel between 72 hours and 8 hours before the train leaves, you will only receive a 50% refund. However, cancelling your ticket less than 8 hours before the train departs means you won’t get any refund at all. This policy is quite different from the rules for other train services, including the existing Vande Bharat chair cars.
To summarize the refund policy: No refund if cancelled within 8 hours of departure, a 50% refund if cancelled between 72 hours to 8 hours, and a 75% refund if cancelled over 72 hours before the journey.
Additionally, the Railways has stopped the reservation against cancellation (RAC) service for these sleeper trains. Only limited reservation categories will be available, such as for ladies, senior citizens, and differently-abled passengers. No other reservations will be allowed.
Summary:
- PM Modi launched India’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train.
- Cancellation rules for tickets have become stricter.
- No refund for cancellations within 8 hours of departure.
- 50% refund for cancellations between 72 to 8 hours before departure.
- RAC service has been removed for these trains.