Railways amends rules for cancellation and refund of tickets

Indian Railways has made certain changes in Railway Passengers (Cancellation of tickets and refund of fare) Rules with effect from 12 November 2015, under which cancellation charges for refund of unused confirmed tickets will be minimum per person if presented for cancellation up to 48 hours before the scheduled departure of the train.

However, no refund will be granted on confirmed, RAC and wait-listed tickets after the departure of the train under normal circumstances.

If a confirmed ticket is presented for cancellation between 48 hours and up to 12 hours before the scheduled departure of the train, 25 per cent cancellation charges is levied subject to minimum flat cancellation charge.

If a confirmed ticket is presented for cancellation between 12 hours and up to 4 hours before the scheduled departure of the train irrespective of distance, 50 per cent cancellation charge is levied subject to minimum flat cancellation charge.

Refund on confirmed ticket is granted only up to 4 hours before the scheduled departure of the train.

When RAC / wait-listed ticket / partially confirmed ticket is presented for cancellation, the refund of fare minus clerkage charge is made up to 30 minutes before the scheduled departure of the train.

Indian Railways has amended certain provisions of Railway Passengers (Cancellation of tickets and refund of fare) Rules to check bogus claims, to facilitate provision of mobile ticketing as well as paperless ticketing, discourage last minute cancellation resulting in seats/berths going vacant etc.

The amendment in refund rules became necessary to adapt to changes / developments in the ticketing systems.

Further, reservation charts are being prepared at least 4 hours in advance, which facilitates purchase of available berths till 30 minutes before departure of the train.

No cancellation charge or clerkage charges is levied and full fare is refunded to all passengers holding confirmed, RAC and wait-listed tickets if the journey is not undertaken due to late running of the train by more than three hours of scheduled departure of the train from the journey commencing station, subject to the condition that the ticket is surrendered prior to the actual departure of the train.

Minister of state for railways Manoj Sinha gave this information in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha last week.