Cancelling train tickets between 24-8 hours of departure? Now it will cost you 50%

Indian Railways has introduced a revised ticket cancellation policy, tightening refund rules for confirmed tickets while offering added flexibility in boarding options. The new system, set to be implemented between April 1 and April 15, 2026, introduces a tiered penalty structure based on how close the cancellation is to the train’s departure time.

Under the updated rules, passengers cancelling tickets more than 72 hours before departure will receive the highest refund, with only a nominal flat cancellation charge applied per passenger. However, the penalty increases significantly as the departure time approaches. Cancellations made between 72 hours and 24 hours before departure will attract a deduction of 25% of the fare, while those made between 24 hours and 8 hours prior will result in a 50% deduction.

The rules become most stringent closer to departure, with no refund permitted for cancellations made less than 8 hours before the scheduled departure time or in cases where the train is missed. This marks a sharper escalation in penalties compared to previous norms, reflecting a shift towards stricter enforcement of cancellation timelines.

Alongside the revised refund structure, Indian Railways has also eased rules for changing boarding points. Passengers will now be allowed to change their boarding station up to 30 minutes before the train’s scheduled departure, a significant relaxation from the earlier system where such changes were permitted only before chart preparation. This move is expected to benefit passengers in cities with multiple stations.

The revised policy aims to streamline ticketing operations while addressing misuse of the booking system. Railway authorities indicated that stricter cancellation norms are intended to curb practices such as bulk bookings and last-minute cancellations, ensuring fairer access to tickets for genuine passengers while maintaining operational efficiency.