New Delhi: Indian Railways has updated its ticket cancellation rules and boarding point norms to make the system more efficient. The new rules will be rolled out between April 1 and April 15, 2026.
The changes aim to reduce misuse of ticket bookings while also giving passengers more flexibility before travel.
Revised Cancellation Charges Explained
Under the new system, cancellation charges will depend on how early the ticket is cancelled.
If a ticket is cancelled more than 72 hours before departure, passengers will get the maximum refund after a small flat charge per person.
If cancelled between 72 hours and 24 hours before departure, 25 percent of the fare will be deducted.
For cancellations between 24 hours and 8 hours before departure, 50 percent of the fare will be deducted.
If a ticket is cancelled less than 8 hours before departure, no refund will be given. No refund is also allowed at the time of departure.
Boarding Point Change Made Easier
In a major relief for passengers, Indian Railways now allows change of boarding station up to 30 minutes before train departure.
Earlier, this change was allowed only before the preparation of the reservation chart.
This update will help passengers in big cities with multiple stations, allowing them to choose a more convenient boarding point.
Reason Behind the Changes
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the new rules are designed to stop misuse by touts.
Many touts were booking extra tickets and cancelling them later to get refunds, blocking seats for genuine passengers.
The stricter refund rules are expected to reduce such practices and improve seat availability.
What Were the Old Rules?
Earlier, passengers could cancel tickets more than 48 hours before departure with a flat charge.
Between 48 hours and 12 hours, 25 percent of the fare was deducted, and between 12 hours and 4 hours, 50 percent was deducted.
No refund was given if the ticket was not cancelled at least 4 hours before departure.
The new rules make cancellations stricter but also give passengers more flexibility in boarding.
While late cancellations will now cost more, early planning will help passengers get better refunds.
