Do you frequently travel by train? Then at some point, you may have to cancel any of your train tickets. Cancellation of a train ticket will incur some charges as specified by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). However, if you use the services of some IRCTC-authorised ticketing agents such as MakeMyTrip and Ixigo and pay some extra amount, then you will get a full refund without any cancellation charges. To avail of this facility and use it for your benefit, you must know certain terms and conditions. Read here to find out.
What are IRCTC cancellation charges for e-tickets?
Though you can book rail tickets through IRCTC's app or website, the cancellation charges are typically high when a ticket is cancelled close to the train's scheduled departure time.
As per Smriti Jaswal, Associate, Accord Juris LLP, If a confirmed ticket is cancelled more than 48 hrs before the scheduled departure of the train, flat cancellation charges shall be deducted at:
- Rs 240/- for AC first class/executive class,
- Rs 200/- for AC 2 tier/first class,
- Rs 180 for AC 3 tier/AC chair car/ AC 3 economy,
- Rs 120/- for sleeper class and
- Rs 60/- for second class.
"If a confirmed ticket is cancelled within 48 hrs and up to 12 hours before the scheduled departure of the train, cancellation charges shall be 25% of the fare subject to the minimum flat rate mentioned in the above clause. Less than 12 hours and up to four hours before the scheduled departure of the train up to chart preparation whichever is earlier, 50% of the fare paid subject to the minimum cancellation charges," said IRCTC on its website as of May 25, 2024.
According to Rohit Jain, Managing Partner, Singhania & Co. "As per my understanding if a 3AC ticket costing Rs 3135 is cancelled 11 hours before the scheduled departure, the cancellation charges will be 50% of the fare paid, subject to the minimum cancellation charges. For 3AC, the minimum cancellation charge is Rs 180. However, since 50% of Rs 3135 is greater than Rs 180, the 50% charge rule will apply."
Jain shares the calculation:
- Fare: Rs 3135
- Cancellation charge (50%): 0.50 * 3135 = Rs 1567.50
Therefore, the refund amount will be:
- Fare: Rs 3135
- Cancellation charge: Rs 1567.50
- Refund: 3135 - 1567.50 = Rs 1567.50
For example: if the ticket cost of Delhi-Mumbai Rajdhani Express is Rs 3,135 for 3AC and you cancel it 11 hours before the train's scheduled departure time, you will be refunded Rs 1567.5 (50% of Rs 3,135).
How to save cancellation charges cost by booking through apps?
There are some IRCTC-authorised ticketing agents like Ixigo and MakeMyTrip who have launched services like zero-payment gateway charges and full refunds on ticket cancellation. To get a full refund on the ticket cancellation, you need to select the preferred option and pay an extra amount at the time of booking a ticket through the respective apps. Keep in mind you can only get a full refund on cancellation until the chart is prepared. The charts are usually prepared at least four hours before the scheduled departure time.
For example, MakeMyTrip will charge Rs 532 per person for the full fare refund on cancellation for the Delhi-Mumbai Rajdhani Express for a 3AC ticket. Ixigo will charge Rs 579 per person for a full fare refund on cancellation on the same train.
So even if you cancel the ticket 11 hours before the train's scheduled departure time, you will get back Rs 3,135 which is the cost of the ticket if you book through these websites/apps.
The no cancelleation charge full refund policy by travel aggregators is helpful in these two situations:
- Cancellations made within 48 hours to 12 hours before train's departure, and
- Cancellations made within 12 hours to 4 hours before the train's departure.
"Canceling within 48 to 12 hours before departure incurs a 25% cancellation fee (Rs 783.75 for a Rs 3135 ticket) and canceling within 12 to 4 hours before departure incurs a 50% cancellation fee (Rs 1567.50). In these scenarios, paying Rs 532 for the full refund service saves Rs 251.75 and Rs 1035.50 respectively, making it a cost-effective option for last-minute cancellations," says Jain.
Jain further says that this full refund policy by travel aggregators is not useful if a ticket is cancelled when the train's departure time is more than 48 hours. "If you cancel more than 48 hours before departure, the standard IRCTC cancellation charge for 3AC is Rs 180, which is much lower than the Rs 532 cost for the full refund service, making the service not cost-effective in this case," he says.
MakeMyTrip
The image above shows data for 3 AC Delhi-Rajdhani train. (Dynamic charges are applicable for this train).
Source: MakeMyTrip app
Ixigo
The image above shows data for 1 AC Delhi-Rajdhani train. (Dynamic charges are applicable for this train).
Source: Ixigo App
