Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday said that there will be no refund for cancellation of train tickets up to eight hours before departure, instead of the existing norm of four hours.
As per PTI, the new refund rule will take effect between April 1 and 15 this year.
Other refund slabs also revised by Railway
A cancellation between 24 and eight hours before the event will incur a 50 per cent deduction from the ticket cost. This is currently 12 to 4 hours.
Similarly, the Railways will deduct 25 per cent of the ticket cost for cancellation between 72 and 24 hours before departure.
Full refund for cancellation made more than 72 hours before travelling
A full refund, except for a flat cancellation charge per passenger, will be given for cancellations made more than 72 hours before the train`s departure.
Under the existing policy, cancellations made between 48 and 12 hours incur a 25 per cent deduction of the ticket cost, while a full refund will be given for cancellations made more than 48 hours in advance, reported PTI.
Ashwini Vaishnaw said the refund rule is being modified to discourage black marketing and last-minute sales of tickets by agents.
The new refund rule, which the railways minister announced for all trains on Tuesday, has already been in force on Vande Bharat Sleeper and Amrit Bharat II trains launched after January this year.
The ministry first announced this through a notification dated January 16, 2026, which amended the Railway Passengers (Cancellation of Ticket and Refund of Fare) Rules, 2015.
Travel class upgradation will be allowed up to 30 minutes before departure
Vaishnaw on Tuesday further asserted that the travel class upgradation will now be allowed up to 30 minutes before departure for passengers who bought counter tickets. Earlier, passengers could upgrade travel class only before the train`s first departure.
A railway official further emphasised, “The first chart is released at least eight hours before the train`s departure and the second one between 15 and 30 minutes. Passengers can now upgrade their travel class 30 minutes before the train`s departure. This facility is available only for counter ticket holders; online ticket purchasers are not allowed class upgradation”, as cited by PTI.
Boarding point can be changed 30 minutes before the train`s departure
On a change of train boarding point, Vaishnaw said passengers will be given the freedom to change their boarding point 30 minutes before the train`s scheduled departure. Currently, a change of boarding point is allowed only before preparation of the first chart.
Explaining the reform, Vaishnaw further said that if a passenger holds a confirmed ticket between station A and Z and, due to a sudden change in plan, wants to change the boarding point from station A to B, with the new reform, the passenger will be able to digitally update his/her boarding point to B up to 30 minutes before the train leaves the origin station A.
An official further added that the change of boarding point will have no impact on the ticket cost, as per PTI.
(With inputs from PTI)