Full refund on train cancellations! In view of cancellation of all Indian Railways passenger train services as well as all passenger ticketing up to 14 April 2020 due to the novel Coronavirus outbreak, the national transporter has decided to give a full refund for all booked train tickets for the journey period from 21 March 2020 to 14 April 2020. For those passengers who had received only a partial refund, there is a need to fill a form and send it to the office to get the balance refund. According to a press release issued by the Railway Ministry, these instructions shall be in addition to and in continuation of the relaxations in Refund Rule instructions, which were issued on 21 March 2020. The Railway Ministry has also asked passengers to not go to station premises for refund or cancellation of tickets due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Here is the Indian Railways’ procedure for grant of refund on cancelled train services:
1) IRCTC e-tickets:
a) The IRCTC train e-tickets that are cancelled prior to 27 March 2020: Indian Railways will credit the balance refund amount to the account of the passenger or railway user from which the train ticket was booked. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) will prepare a utility for providing the balance refund amount to the passengers.
b) The train tickets that are cancelled after 27 March 2020: The national transporter will grant full refund to passengers in respect of all such train cancellations for which provisions have already been made.
2) Counter booked PRS Tickets:
a) The train tickets that are cancelled prior to 27 March 2020: For availing the balance refund amount, a passenger has to file a TDR (Ticket Deposit Receipt) with journey details by filling a form to the Chief Commercial Manager (Claims) or Chief Claims Officer of any Zonal Railways Head Quarters up to the period 21 June 2020. The national transporter will provide a utility through which the railway passenger can avail the balance amount refund so deducted during cancellation of such train tickets.
b) The train tickets that are cancelled after 27 March 2020: Indian Railways will grant full refund in respect of all such train cancellations.
How to get the balance refund by filling the form:
- The passenger will have to address the application to the Chief Claims Officer/Chief Commercial Manager
- The application should include a subject- refund of cancellation or clerkage charge if any levied for journey tickets that have been already cancelled for journey period between 21 March and 14 April 2020.
- The passenger will have to mention the following ticket details in his/her application –
i) PNR number (if applicable)
ii) Train name and number
iii) Date of journey
iv) From and To stations
v) Name of passengers
vi) Mobile number of passenger
vii) Class of travel
viii) Date of cancellation of tickets
ix) Amount deducted as cancellation or clerkage charge for which the refund has been sought
x) Complete postal address with Pin code (for those passengers who want the refund to be sent through post)
xi) Account number with IFSC code (for those passengers who want the refund to be transferred in their accounts)
