Indian Railways ticket cancellation: Know YOUR refund amount and rules

Cancelling train tickets on Indian Railways incurs fees based on time of cancellation and ticket class. Fees vary depending on the time remaining before departure, ranging from fixed amounts to percentages of the fare.

Everybody who has taken a train ride on the Indian Railways knows that frequently, their reserved tickets do not appear on the "confirmed" side. But frequently, we also cancel tickets due to changes in our itinerary, and as a result, Indian Railways deducts fees based on when you cancel the ticket in relation to the trip day. The various fees that apply to the cancellation of rail tickets, however, are also unclear. Here is all the information you want on the fees associated with train cancellations.

Be ready to pay a cancellation fee if you need to cancel a train ticket that is "confirmed," "RAC," or in Indian Railways' "waitlist." The catch is that there is a strong correlation between the deduction amount and the cancelation time. It's also noteworthy to notice that these fees vary according on your ticket's "category," whether it's the luxury AC first class, the cozy AC chair car, or the budget-friendly second class.

Cancellation of confirmed tickets in advance: The following fees apply if you need to cancel your train tickets more than 48 hours before the train departs the originating station:

- For AC First/Executive class customers, there is a fixed cancellation fee of Rs 240 per passenger.

- Rs 200 for first class/AC 2-tier

- For AC, Rs 180 Three-Tier/AC Chair vehicle, Economy AC-3

-For second class, it costs Rs 60.

Cancellation fees will be 25% of the total cost paid if you cancel a confirmed ticket with fewer than 48 hours to go but more than 12 hours before the train's planned departure (subject to a minimum flat cancellation penalty).

There is a minimum fixed cancellation fee for each class, but cancellation fees will be 50% of the entire cost paid if you cancel a confirmed ticket with fewer than 12 hours to go and up to 4 hours before the train's planned departure.

You still have the choice to cancel a rail ticket if it is either RAC or in the waiting list. No matter how far you're traveling, just make sure you do this at least 30 minutes before the train is scheduled to depart.