Summary of this article
IRCTC plans online train ticket date changes without cancellation fees.
Seat availability required; passengers pay fare difference if applicable.
Current cancellations deduct 25–50% fare; no refund after deadline.
Changing travel plans at the last minute usually results in passengers cancelling their train tickets or incurring costs. To make the process easier, Indian Railways is considering implementing a feature that allows passengers to amend the travel date of confirmed tickets online without incurring cancellation fees. The update will be available through the IRCTC website and mobile app that provides travellers with greater flexibility in managing their journeys.
Change Train Dates Without Fees
Passengers will soon be able to change the travel date of their confirmed train tickets online without paying a cancellation fee, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told NDTV. He described the system as unfair and not in the interest of passengers. The minister also clarified that there is not ensure of getting a confirmed ticket for the new date, as it will depend on seat availability, and passengers will need to pay any fare difference if the new ticket costs more.
If implemented, this change can help travellers who need to reschedule train trips but are currently charged high cancellation fees. By allowing travelers to modify their confirmed tickets online without additional charges, Indian Railways would provide greater convenience and flexibility.
Current Cancellation Rules
At present, passengers who cancel confirmed train tickets online face substantial charges. If a ticket is cancelled between 48 and 12 hours before the scheduled departure, 25 per cent of the fare is deducted, along with applicable GST for AC classes. For cancellations made between 12 and 4 hours before departure, 50 per cent of the fare is deducted, plus GST.
No refund is provided if a ticket is not cancelled online or if a Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR) is not filed within four hours of the train’s scheduled departure. As a result, passengers who need to reschedule their journeys at short notice often face significant inconvenience and financial loss.
As of now, IRCTC has not announced a date for the ticket rescheduling feature.
