If IRCTC cancels your ticket on its own, does it still charge a cancellation fee? Learn the rules.

IRCTC Cancellation Charges: Passengers often have questions about train ticket cancellation. If IRCTC cancels the ticket itself, does a cancellation fee apply? Learn the rules.

IRCTC Cancellation Charges: Millions of people travel by train every day in the country. Many prefer to book tickets online. However, sometimes people book tickets online, and their tickets are not confirmed. In such cases, they receive a refund. However, a different issue is currently making the rounds on social media. A female user complained that her ticket was automatically cancelled.

Even though she had not canceled it herself, she was still charged a cancellation fee. This incident has raised questions about what happens if IRCTC cancels your ticket automatically, i.e., when your ticket is auto-cancelled. Do you still have to pay a charge? Learn the rules.

If you cancel your ticket through IRCTC, will cancellation charges apply?

If you booked a ticket through IRCTC and it wasn't confirmed, meaning it remained on the waiting list, such tickets are automatically cancelled. No cancellation charges are levied. In this case, the full refund is credited to the passenger's account.

If you booked an e-ticket and it remained on the waiting list even after the chart is prepared, the system automatically cancels it. The passenger doesn't need to do anything for such tickets, nor is there any deduction. However, there are different rules for Tatkal tickets, where a clerkage charge may be deducted even if a seat is not available.

When do you have to pay a cancellation charge?

If you cancel your ticket yourself, you have to pay a charge as per the railway rules. For confirmed ticket cancellations, the charge is determined based on the train's schedule. Normally, the charge is ₹120 for Sleeper Class, ₹200 for Second AC, and up to ₹240 for First AC.

If the ticket is cancelled 48 hours before the journey, the full charge applies. After that, the refund amount gradually decreases. Similarly, if you cancel a waitlisted ticket before the chart is prepared, the amount deducted will be less. However, no refund is available after the chart is prepared.