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Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said a new system would be implemented in January under which passengers can adjust their travel dates without any extra charges.
Currently, passengers are required to cancel their tickets and book a new one to change their travel date, which is a costly process. (PTI/Representative Image)
In good news for rail passengers, Indian Railways has introduced a new policy to make it simpler for travellers to adjust their plans without paying any fees, providing a hassle-free journey.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told NDTV that from January onwards, passengers can change the travel dates of their confirmed train tickets online without any extra charges.
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As of now, passengers are required to cancel their tickets and book a new one to change their travel date, which requires them to pay more based on when the cancellations take place. This process also adds to their inconvenience, as ticket availability for the new date is not guaranteed.
As per the rules, cancelling a confirmed ticket between 48-12 hours before departure would result in a 25% deduction from the fare. The cancellation fee increases further if the ticket is cancelled between 12 and 4 hours before departure. Refunds are not provided once the reservation chart is prepared.
Vaishnaw told NDTV the current system was unfair and not in the interest of passengers, and said that instructions have been issued to relevant authorities to implement the new user-friendly changes.
However, some challenges can be expected in the new system. Vaishnaw said there was still no guarantee of getting a confirmed train ticket for the new date, as it is dependent on seat availability. Passengers will also be required to pay more if the new ticket is costlier than the previous one.
However, the change is expected to benefit millions of passengers who need to reschedule their train journeys but currently face steep cancellation fees.
This came after the Indian Railways introduced another rule for online ticket bookings, under which Aadhaar verification is now compulsory for all bookings from October 1. This rule says that only Aadhaar-authenticated IRCTC accounts can book reserved general tickets in the first 15 minutes after the reservation window opens for any train.
About the Author
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international…Read More
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international… Read More
October 07, 2025, 19:46 IST
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