Missed Your Train? New Railway Rule Could Save Your Money

If you miss your train, don't just throw away your ticket thinking it's useless. You might still be able to use it. We'll give you the full scoop.

Missed the train?

Around 25 million people travel by train daily in India. Many depend on trains, but most are unaware of key railway rules. Many assume their ticket is useless after missing a train, but that's not always true.

Railway Rule

Passengers can save themselves from losses by properly utilizing the railway system. But most people are not aware of this rule. So if this ever happens to you, be careful. You can still use your ticket correctly. We are giving you complete information about this.

If you miss the train, does the ticket become useless?

If you buy a train ticket and miss the train, there is no need to be upset and throw away the ticket. Many people make this mistake. Doing this causes loss. As per railway rules, your ticket is still valid if you have bought an unreserved or general ticket.

So, you can travel in the general compartment of any other train within the validity period with the same ticket. You can avail this benefit for 3 hours for short distance tickets and 24 hours for long distance tickets. However, it is important to know that this facility is not available to those holding reserved tickets.

Reserved ticket holders can file TDR

Even if you have a reservation and miss the train, your ticket is not useless. In that case, you can file a TDR i.e. Ticket Deposit Receipt. By filing a TDR, you can claim a refund for your ticket from the railways. For this, you have to fill the TDR online within 4 hours of the train's departure.

You can complete this process through the IRCTC website or app. If you file the TDR within the stipulated time frame, the railways will refund your money after some deductions. Keep in mind that this facility is not available to those with general tickets. This only applies to reserved tickets. On the other hand, if you have bought your ticket from the counter, you have to go there and file the TDR.