New train ticket refund rules: Indian Railways makes changes in cancellation rules; what passengers should know
New refund rules 2026: Indian Railways has announced a new set of refund rules for confirmed train tickets. As per the new rules, if a passenger chooses to cancel a confirmed train ticket within 24 to 72 hours of the scheduled departure, there will be 25% deduction in the train ticket fare. If the cancellation is made within 8 hours then no refund will be issued on the ticket.
New Cancellation & Refund Rules 2026: Top points to know
1. For a confirmed ticket, if the cancellation is made more than 72 hours before departure, then you will get the maximum refund possible, with only the minimum flat cancellation fee per passenger applicable2. If you cancel the confirmed ticket, in the 72 hours to 24 hours window before the train departure, there will be a standard penalty window (25% of the fare subject to the minimum charge)3. Between 24 hours up to 8 hours before the departure, if the train ticket is cancelled then 50% of the fare will be deducted subject to the minimum charge4. If you cancel your confirmed train ticket less than 8 hours before the departure of the train, NO REFUND will be permitted.
Refund rules for PRS counter tickets and e-tickets have also changed.
- Earlier, passengers were required to cancel tickets at the terminating station. Now passengers can cancel across the counter at any station.
- Earlier, for e-tickets passengers were required to manually file a Ticket Deposit Receipt. Now the TDR requirement has been eliminated. No passenger action is required and automatic refund is granted.
In the meantime, last year Indian Railways made several changes to its train ticket booking system as well. For example, effective October 1, 2025, Indian Railways introduced a rule mandating Aadhaar authentication for passengers booking reserved tickets under the general quota via the IRCTC website or mobile application during the first 15 minutes of the booking window.The move was intended to ensure that genuine users benefit from the reservation system while curbing misuse by unauthorised entities.The introduction of this measure followed closely on the heels of Indian Railways making Aadhaar authentication compulsory for Tatkal bookings from July 1, 2025.Those booking tickets under the Tatkal scheme are required to complete Aadhaar verification and can do so only through the IRCTC website or its mobile application.The guidelines also outlined restrictions for authorised railway ticketing agents in relation to Tatkal reservations.Such agents are barred from booking Tatkal tickets on the first day during the initial 30 minutes of the booking window. This restriction applies from 10:00 am to 10:30 am for air-conditioned classes and from 11:00 am to 11:30 am for non-air-conditioned classes.
