The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) charges its customers for cancellation of railway tickets. The charge varies depending on the type of ticket and the time of cancellation.
Knowing the cancellation and refund policy can help you reduce loss whether your ticket is confirmed, waitlisted, or partially confirmed. It is important for passengers to stay updated regarding these charges because the Indian Railways adjusts these fees from time to time..
Here are the current IRCTC train e-ticket cancellation fees.Also read: IRCTC train booking: With ‘current ticket’ you can book train tickets after chart preparation; how to book ‘current ticket’
IRCTC’s cancellation charges vary for cancellation of confirmed tickets, waitlisted tickets and tickets dropped from the reservation chart. Below is a detailed break up of the same.
1. Cancellation charges for confirmed train tickets
The amount deducted when you cancel a confirmed train ticket depends on how far in advance of the train’s scheduled departure time and date the cancellation is made.
Cancellation more than 48 hours before departure
If a confirmed ticket is cancelled online more than forty-eight hours before the scheduled departure of the train, a minimum per passenger cancellation charge applies as follows:
Rs 240 + GST for AC First Class/Executive Class,
Rs 200 + GST for AC 2 Tier/First Class,
Rs 180 + GST for AC 3 Tier/AC Chair car/ AC 3 Economy,
Rs 120 for Sleeper Class and
Rs 60 for Second Class.
Do note that the cancellation charges are per passenger.
b) Cancellation between 48 hours and 12 hours before departure
If a confirmed ticket is cancelled online between 48 hours to 12 hours before departure, the cancellation charge is 25% of the fare, subject to the minimum charge, plus GST applicable for all AC classes.
c) Cancellation between 12 hours and 4 hours before departure
If a confirmed ticket is cancelled online between 12 hours to 4 hours before departure, the cancellation charge is 50% of the fare, subject to the minimum charge mentioned, plus GST applicable for all AC classes.
d) No Refund for cancellations after 4 hours before departure
No refund will be granted if the confirmed ticket is not cancelled online or if a TDR (Ticket Deposit Receipt) is not filed at least 4 hours before the scheduled departure of the train.
2. Cancellation charges for waitlisted tickets
Waitlisted tickets have a different set of refund rules for cancellation compared to confirmed tickets.
Cancellation upto 4 hours before departure If a waitlisted ticket is cancelled online up to 4 hours before the scheduled departure, a cancellation charge of Rs 20 + GST per passenger will be deducted. The remaining fare will be refunded.
Automatic cancellation of unconfirmed tickets
If all passengers on a ticket remain waitlisted even after the first charting is prepared the ticket is automatically cancelled by the ticketing computer system. In such cases, the full amount is refunded without any cancellation charges.
3. Cancellation charges for waitlisted tickets dropped from charting
If a waitlisted e-ticket remains waitlisted even after the reservation chart is prepared, the names of all passengers booked on the waitlisted PNR will be removed from the reservation chart, and the ticket will be automatically cancelled. The full fare will be refunded without deducting any cancellation charges..
What are the rules for cancellation of tatkal tickets?
There will be no refunds for confirmed Tatkal tickets that are cancelled. Charges for contingent cancellations and waitlisted Tatkal ticket cancellations will be deducted in accordance with existing railway standards, as per the IRCTC website as on 12.3.2025.
The charges for cancellation of train e-tickets in cases where the train is late are different and are given separately.
