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Indian Railways Revises Ticket Cancellation Rules to Curb Touts, Adds Flexibility

Indian Railways has revised its ticket cancellation refund rules to prevent misuse by touts who book and cancel tickets for black marketing. The new refund structure deducts higher percentages based on how close to departure the cancellation occurs, with no refund for cancellations within 8 hours. The rules also introduce greater flexibility by allowing passengers to change their boarding station up to 30 minutes before the train's scheduled departure. Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated the tightened norms aim to curb the cornering of tickets by touts.

Key Points: New Indian Railways Ticket Cancellation & Refund Rules 2026

  • New refund rules based on time before departure
  • Allows boarding station change 30 mins before train
  • Aims to curb tout misuse and black marketing
  • Rules to be implemented in phases by April 2026
2 min read

Indian Railways revises rules for refunds on cancellation of tickets

Indian Railways revises ticket cancellation refund rules to curb tout misuse and allows boarding station changes up to 30 minutes before departure.

"the decision to tighten the norms for refunds is expected to curb cornering of tickets by touts - Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw"

New Delhi, March 24

Indian Railways has revised its rules for the cancellation of confirmed tickets to check misuse of the booking system by touts who indulge in black marketing. The new rules also give more flexibility to passengers for last-minute changes in boarding stations.

The revised rules fix refunds for cancellation of tickets on the basis of time left for the departure of the train and also allow for a change in the boarding stations to give more flexibility to passengers.

The revised rules will come into effect in phases between April 1 and April 15, 2026.

Under the revised system, passengers cancelling tickets more than 72 hours before departure will receive the maximum refund, with only a flat cancellation charge per passenger. For cancellations made between 72 hours and 24 hours, 25 per cent of the fare will be deducted, subject to the minimum charge.

The penalty increases for late cancellations. If a ticket is cancelled between 24 hours and 8 hours before departure, 50 per cent of the fare will be deducted, subject to the minimum charge. For cancellations made less than 8 hours before departure, no refund will be permitted.

"According to an assessment of ticketing patterns, touts would book extra tickets and cancel unsold ones before train departure times, gaining significant booking amounts back as refunds," Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.

He added that the decision to tighten the norms for refunds is expected to curb cornering of tickets by touts.

Indian Railways has also allowed passengers to change their boarding station up to 30 minutes before the scheduled departure of the train. The change is expected to help passengers in cities with multiple stations, where they can choose to board from a station of their convenience.

The provision is expected to be useful in big cities with multiple stations, where passengers can opt to board from any of those stations, Railway Ministry said.

At present, the change of boarding point is allowed only before the preparation of the chart.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
The boarding station change feature is brilliant! Living in Delhi, I can now choose between NDLS, NZM, or even Anand Vihar based on my schedule and traffic. 30 minutes before departure is a practical window. Good job, Indian Railways!
A
Aman W
While I appreciate the crackdown on touts, the new refund rules seem quite harsh for genuine passengers. Emergencies happen. No refund if cancelled less than 8 hours before? What if there's a family medical situation? The system needs some leniency for verified cases.
S
Sarah B
Interesting policy shift. The phased implementation till 2026 gives everyone time to adjust. Hope the IRCTC website and app are updated smoothly to handle these new rules without glitches. The real test will be during the Diwali rush.
V
Vikram M
Finally! These touts book 10-20 tickets and cancel at the last minute, making it impossible for others. They operate like a cartel. This 50% deduction between 24-8 hours will hit their profits hard. Jai Hind!
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Nisha Z
The flexibility is good, but what about the refund process itself? It still takes 3-5 working days to get money back to the bank. If they are making rules stricter, they should also make the refunds instantaneous. That would be true passenger convenience.

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