See your estimated refund, compare cancellation windows, and plan your next move.
Updated for 1 April 2026 rules
Per passenger, for a rupee estimate.
Enter your departure time to see your refund.
Estimate per passenger. Check the final amount on IRCTC before cancelling.
What changed
Indian Railways extended every cancellation window. The penalty-free window doubled from 48 to 72 hours, and the no-refund cliff doubled from 4 to 8 hours. Flat charges by class are unchanged. Tatkal, RAC, and waitlist rules are unchanged. The change punishes last-minute cancellations and rewards advance planning.
| Refund tier | Old rule | New rule |
|---|---|---|
| Flat charge only | ≥ 48 hours | ≥ 72 hours |
| 25% deduction | 48 – 12 hours | 72 – 24 hours · min ₹240 |
| 50% deduction | 12 – 4 hours | 24 – 8 hours |
| No refund | < 4 hours | < 8 hours |
| Flat charges by class | Unchanged: ₹240 (1A) · ₹200 (2A) · ₹180 (3A/CC) · ₹120 (SL) · ₹60 (2S) | |
By ticket type
Follows the new 72h / 24h / 8h slabs above. Flat charges by class: ₹240 (1A), ₹200 (2A), ₹180 (3A/CC), ₹120 (SL), ₹60 (2S).
Cancel up to 30 minutes before departure for a refund minus ₹60 + GST clerkage per passenger. If a WL ticket remains unconfirmed at chart preparation, it is automatically cancelled and refunded — no action needed from you.
Confirmed Tatkal is non-refundable on voluntary cancellation. RAC/WL Tatkal is refunded after ₹60 + GST clerkage. This rule did not change in April 2026.
Full refund, regardless of timing. If the train is cancelled, refund is automatic. If delayed 3+ hours and you choose not to travel, file a TDR within 72 hours of scheduled departure.
How to cancel
Online cancellation closes 8 hours before departure. After that, your only option is a TDR claim with a valid reason — train delay of 3+ hours, medical emergency, AC failure, etc.
Money back
Once the cancellation is confirmed, the refund processes back to your original payment method.
FAQ
From 1 April 2026 the four slabs were extended: full refund (flat charge only) is now ≥72 hours (was 48h), 25% deduction is 72–24 hours (was 48–12h), 50% deduction is 24–8 hours (was 12–4h), and no-refund is under 8 hours (was under 4h). Flat charges by class are unchanged.
Login to IRCTC, go to Booked Ticket History, select your ticket, tap Cancel Ticket, choose passengers, verify the refund amount, and confirm. SMS and email confirmation will follow.
Confirmed Tatkal tickets remain non-refundable on voluntary cancellation — this rule did not change. RAC/Waitlisted Tatkal tickets are refunded after ₹60 + GST clerkage. Full refund is given only if the train is cancelled by Indian Railways or via successful TDR claim.
3 to 7 working days for credit/debit cards, net banking, and UPI. IRCTC iPay wallet refunds are instant.
Under the new April 2026 rules, online cancellation closes 8 hours before departure (was 4 hours). After this point, your only option is filing a TDR with a valid reason — train delay of 3+ hours, medical emergency, AC failure, etc.
This rule did not change. Online WL tickets that remain unconfirmed at chart preparation are automatically cancelled. The full refund (minus nominal clerkage) is credited back to your original payment source within 3 to 5 working days. No action required from you.