People are mostly confused about the refund policy and procedures of IRCTC.

A brief description would help you to cut down your confusion regarding cancellation and refund. 

Cancellation is based on the time of your ticket booking and status of the ticket. 

Let’s take a look at how ticket cancellation works:

For partial cancellation of tickets, one has to go online on bookings, select the ticket and click on cancel. A window will open where you select the person name(s) and then click cancel.

First of all we have to check if final chart is prepared of not.

If final chart is not prepared then cancellation fees is based on the hours remaining until the train will departs.

If train departure is more than 48 hours.

Class             Cancellation fees (Per Passenger)

1A/EC            ₹ 240

FC                 ₹ 200

2A                 ₹ 180

3A/CC            ₹ 120

SL/2S            ₹ 60

If train departure is less than 48 hours and more than 12 hours.

In this case 25% of the fare or above mentioned flat charges whichever is higher will be charged.

If train departure is less than 12 hours & chart is not prepared

In this case 50% of the ticket fare or flat cancellation charges whichever is higher will be charged

If final charts are prepared then the ticket will be NON-Refundable.

** NOTE If the ticket is cancelled for RAC or waiting list users, a flat fee of ₹ 60 per passenger will be charged in all reserved classes.

*RAC Reservation Against Cancellation.
*TDR Ticket Deposit Receipt .

Ticket cancellation and refund for Tatkal tickets.

• IRCTC does not have a refund policy for cancellation of confirmed Tatkal tickets.

Train cancellation and Refund 

If the train is cancelled due to floods, accidents or disruptions and is mentioned on PRS, full refund will be made within 7 working days of scheduled departure.

Procedure for TDR Filing for Nget Agents or sub agents are mentioned below under given conditions.

1. If the Train gets late for more than 3 hours and passengers do not travel then TDR filing is done upto the actual departure time of the train at the boarding station.
2. Difference of fare in case a proper coach is not attached tds filing is done within 3 hours from the actual departure time of the train at passenger’s boarding station. 
3. TDR filing for AC Failure submitted within 20 hours of actual arrival time of the train at passenger’s  destination station.
4.  If a Confirmed Passenger did not travel and files TDR upto 4 hours before the scheduled departure of the train.
5. If a Train Diverted and passenger has not travelled ,TDR filing is done upto 72 hours from the scheduled departure of the train from the passenger’s boarding station.
6. If the Train diverted and did not reach the  destination station TDR filing is done upto 72 hours from the scheduled departure time of the train at the passenger’s boarding station.
7. If Train diverted and did not reach the  boarding station, filing should be done upto 72 hours from the scheduled departure of the train from the passenger’s boarding station.
8. Passengers did not travel due to tickets in the RAC list after the chart preparation, filing should be done upto 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time of the train from the passenger’s boarding station.
9. Group Passengers partially confirmed and or in the waiting list did not get confirmation should file TDR upto 72 hours of actual arrival time of the train at the passenger’s destination station.
10. The tickets for the group partially confirmed and waitlisted passengers that did not get confirmation should submit TDR  30 minutes before the scheduled departure time of the train at the passenger’s boarding station.
11. If there is a difference of fare as passengers travelled in lower class and filing is done within 2 days  (Excluding the day of issue of the certificate).
12.   A Group Partially Travelled and terminated short of destination should file TDS upto 72 hours from Schedule Departure time of the Train at passenger’s boarding station.
13. If Passenger does not travel because of the  reservation  provided in Lower class and filing is done within 3 hours from the actual departure time of the train at the passenger’s boarding station.
14. Passenger not travelled Due To Coach Damage should file TDS within  3 hours from the actual departure time of the train at passenger’s boarding station
15. Unable To Cancel Due To Train Restored after Train Cancellation should file TDR upto 72 hours from Schedule Departure of the Train from passenger’s boarding station.
16. Train Terminated Short of Destination, the TDR shall be filed upto 72 hours of schedule the arrival of the train at the passenger’s destination.

Waiting List Cancellation 

1. If a ticket booked by an agent is not confirmed and in the waiting list then it will get auto cancelled. 
2. If a client has to cancel its ticket then for refund he may apply on IRCTC website following the instructions mentioned below.

The procedure to avail refund for the cancelled ticket follows as under:

1. Go to www.irctc.co.in
2. Click on My account > My Transactions> Transaction Cancellation History.
3. Click on Cancelled ticket details for refund.
4. Click on Verify Button.
5. Enter the OTP Received on your mobile and submit.
6. If OTP is not received then click on resend OTP.
7. After submitting, the refund amount will be transferred to your account.