PINAKI MAJUMDAR
New Delhi/Jamshedpur, Oct 8: In a major passenger-friendly reform, Indian Railways has introduced a historic change in its ticket cancellation policy, allowing travellers to reschedule their journey dates without paying any cancellation penalty.
Under the new rules, passengers can modify their travel dates up to 24 hours before the scheduled departure through the IRCTC website, mobile app, or railway reservation counters.
Only the fare difference, if any, will need to be paid.
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This change eliminates the earlier cumbersome process of cancelling tickets and rebooking them at a loss, which often led to financial inconvenience for travellers.
The new system will be especially beneficial for families, tourists, and business passengers who frequently face last-minute changes.
The policy will be rolled out in phases across select routes, eventually covering the entire network.
Officials said this step is part of Indian Railways’ broader push to digitise and simplify passenger services, making train travel more flexible and hassle-free.
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For Tatkal tickets, date changes will be permitted under special conditions and subject to seat availability.
Railway officials believe the reform will lead to higher bookings, fewer refund claims, and improved passenger satisfaction.
