Cancellation charges depend on how much time is left before departure and the class of the ticket.
Confirmed-ticket deduction rules (typical)
- More than 48 hours before: flat cancellation fee (by class)
- 48–12 hours: up to 25% of fare deducted
- 12–4 hours: up to 50% deducted
- After chart preparation without TDR: no refund
Waitlisted/RAC tickets
A fully waitlisted e-ticket auto-cancels with refund; counter tickets must be cancelled at the counter.
When to file a TDR
- Train late by over 3 hours and you did not travel
- AC failure, or the train was cancelled/diverted
- Use "File TDR" on the IRCTC site/app within the time limit — refund comes after verification
Exact charges and windows change with railway rules — read IRCTC's current refund policy for large amounts.
