IRCTC: How to book and cancel train tickets online from IRCTC? Know every important step while sitting at home..

If you are planning to travel by train, then you should already have the necessary information related to ticket booking and cancellation. Therefore, today we will tell you how to book a train ticket. If you want to cancel a train ticket, what is the method for this and how much charge is required for this?

Methods of booking train tickets

You can book tickets for Sleeper (SL), Third AC (3A), First AC (1A), Second AC (2A), Third AC Economy (3E), and Chair Car (CC) classes in advance. There are two ways of doing this. Let us know one by one...

1. Offline booking (General and Tatkal)

In this, you have to go to the nearest railway station and get a ticket from the ticket counter. Unreserved tickets are available on the same day and are valid for a few hours. At the same time, reserved class tickets can be booked up to 60 days in advance. For Tatkal booking, AC class tickets are available at 10 am and Sleeper tickets from 11 am.

Let us tell you that there is no transaction charge on offline tickets. However, platform tickets are available between Rs 10 to Rs 50. This rate depends on the latest notification of the railways.

2. Online booking (general and tatkal)

This is the easiest way to book train tickets. For this, you must have an IRCTC ID and password. Both general and Tatkal bookings can be done from IRCTC. IRCTC has both a website and a mobile app. Apart from this, you can get unreserved tickets from the UTS app. Under this, the transaction charge depends on your payment gateway. Let us tell you that there is an extra charge for Tatkal tickets, such as from ₹ 20 in 2S class to ₹ 400 in 1A.

Method of online ticket booking

Create an account on IRCTC with an email and mobile number.

Save the passenger list if you want

Enter the station name and search for the train.

Select the train and class and check the seat.

Payment should be made through UPI, card, wallet, or net banking.

Ticket will be available on mobile and email.

It is necessary to carry identity proof during travel.

Method of train ticket cancellation

If your travel plan changes, then it is easy to cancel the ticket. There is a different method for both online and offline tickets.

1. Online ticket cancellation
Login to the IRCTC website
Go to the "Booked Tickets" section and select the ticket
Choose the cancel option, if you want to cancel some passengers
The refund will be credited to the same account
In case of partial cancellation, it is necessary to print a new ticket
2. Offline ticket cancellation
Go to IRCTC website
Choose Trains > Cancel Ticket > Counter Ticket option
Enter the PNR number, train number, and captcha
Verify with OTP
Cancel the ticket and you will get refund information on your mobile
RAC and waitlisted tickets can be canceled up to 30 minutes before departure.
How much is the cancellation charge?
If you have cancelled your train ticket 48 hours before departure, then the charge is fixed according to the class:

AC First Class or Executive Class: Rs. 240

AC 2 Tier or First Class: Rs. 200

AC 3 Tier, Chair Car or 3E: Rs. 180

Sleeper Class: Rs. 120

Second Class: Rs. 60

Will I get a refund for cancelling a confirmed Tatkal ticket?

If the ticket is cancelled between 12 to 48 hours before departure, then 25% of the total fare is charged. Whereas, if the ticket is cancelled between 4 to 12 hours before departure, then 50% of the fare is charged.

Please note that no refund is available on confirmed Tatkal tickets. Whereas, waitlisted and RAC tickets can be cancelled as per the charges mentioned above.

If you have prior information regarding train ticket booking and cancellation, then there is no problem in traveling. By using the IRCTC website and app properly, you can book tickets without standing in queues. Cancelling on time will save you money and make the journey easier.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from NDTV India. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.