Train ticket cancellation charges under the 2026 refund rules
This train ticket cancellation charges calculator works out how much of your Indian Railways fare comes back when you cancel. Choose the class, the ticket status (confirmed, RAC, waitlisted or Tatkal), the fare per passenger and how many hours are left before the train leaves, and it shows the refund per passenger, the total for everyone on the ticket and a table of what you would get at every stage.
The refund rules changed in 2026. Vande Bharat Sleeper and Amrit Bharat II trains got their own rule in January, and in March the Railway Minister announced longer time windows for other trains from April: a flat charge if you cancel more than 72 hours ahead, 25 % of the fare between 72 and 24 hours, 50 % between 24 and 8 hours, and no refund in the last 8 hours. The older 48/12/4-hour rules are still here to compare, because many pages still quote them.
How to use the Train Ticket Cancellation Charges Calculator
- Pick the refund rules: the April 2026 slabs, the 2015 rules, or Vande Bharat Sleeper (also used for Amrit Bharat II).
- Choose the class and the ticket status.
- Type the hours left before the scheduled departure from your boarding station, the fare per passenger and the number of passengers you are cancelling.
- Leave GST ticked for AC and First Class tickets, or tick Train cancelled by the railway if the railway cancelled it.
- Read the refund, the rule that applied and the table, then copy the result if you need it.
Train Ticket Cancellation Charges Calculator features
Three rule sets
April 2026 slabs, the 2015 rules and the Vande Bharat Sleeper rule, with the exact boundaries of each slab.
Minimum charge
The 25 % and 50 % slabs never deduct less than the class’s flat charge, so cheap sleeper tickets come out right.
GST on the charge
Adds 5 % GST on the cancellation charge for AC and First Class tickets, as the GST circular requires.
RAC, waitlist and Tatkal
Clerkage for RAC and waitlisted tickets up to 30 minutes before departure; no refund on confirmed Tatkal.
Editable amounts
The flat charge and clerkage can be changed if the railway publishes new figures.
Cancellation charges by class
The flat charges per passenger come from rule 6 of the Railway Passengers (Cancellation of Ticket and Refund of Fare) Rules, 2015, and they are also the minimum deducted in the percentage slabs. The announcement did not change them.
| Class | Flat charge | GST on the charge |
|---|---|---|
| AC First Class / Executive Class (1A, EC) | ₹240 | 5 % |
| AC 2-tier / First Class (2A, FC) | ₹200 | 5 % |
| AC 3-tier / AC Chair Car / AC 3 Economy (3A, CC, 3E) | ₹180 | 5 % |
| Sleeper (SL) | ₹120 | None |
| Second Class reserved (2S) | ₹60 | None |
How the refund is worked out
For a confirmed ticket, the calculator finds the slab from the hours left, then deducts the flat charge or the percentage of the fare, whichever the slab says, but never less than the flat charge in a percentage slab. Example: a 3A fare of ₹1,500 cancelled 30 hours before departure under the 2026 slabs loses 25 %, which is ₹375, plus ₹18.75 GST, so ₹1,106.25 comes back. A ₹400 sleeper ticket in the same slab loses ₹120, not ₹100, because of the minimum.
Under the 2015 rules the windows were 48 hours (flat charge), 48 to 12 hours (25 %), 12 to 4 hours (50 %) and nothing after 4 hours. On Vande Bharat Sleeper trains, G.S.R. 41(E) of 16 January 2026 sets 25 % more than 72 hours ahead, 50 % from 72 down to 8 hours and no refund after that, with no flat minimum.
RAC and waitlisted tickets are refunded less clerkage (₹60 per passenger) if you cancel up to 30 minutes before departure; a waitlisted e-ticket that is still waitlisted when the chart is prepared is cancelled for you. Confirmed Tatkal tickets get no refund. If the railway cancels the train, the whole fare is refunded.
What is confirmed and what is not
Confirmed from official text: the 2015 rules and flat charges, the Vande Bharat Sleeper and Amrit Bharat II amendment, and the 5 % GST on cancellation charges for AC and First Class (CBIC circular of 3 August 2022). The 72/24/8-hour slabs for other trains come from the Railway Minister’s announcement reported by All India Radio on 24 March 2026, phased in during April. We could not find the amending gazette notification for those trains, so treat that mode as provisional and check the refund shown when you cancel. Rules as of 24 October 2026; this is an estimate, not an official refund statement. For booking dates see the train ticket booking date calculator, and for Tatkal fares the Tatkal charges calculator.
Train Ticket Cancellation Charges Calculator FAQ
What are the train ticket cancellation charges under the new rules?
From April 2026 the announced slabs are: more than 72 hours before departure, only the flat charge (₹60 to ₹240 by class); 72 to 24 hours, 25 % of the fare; 24 to 8 hours, 50 %; less than 8 hours, no refund.
What are the cancellation charges before 24 hours?
Cancelling 24 hours or more before departure (but not more than 72) costs 25 % of the fare under the 2026 slabs, never less than the flat charge for the class.
What are the cancellation charges for a waiting list ticket?
A waitlisted or RAC ticket is refunded less clerkage of ₹60 per passenger if cancelled up to 30 minutes before departure.
What are the cancellation charges for sleeper class?
The flat charge for Sleeper is ₹120 per passenger; in the 25 % and 50 % slabs you pay the percentage or ₹120, whichever is higher. There is no GST on sleeper cancellation charges.
Is GST refunded when I cancel?
The GST you paid on the fare is refunded; on AC and First Class tickets 5 % GST is charged on the cancellation charge itself.
Do I get a refund on a confirmed Tatkal ticket?
No. Confirmed Tatkal tickets are not refunded on cancellation; waitlisted or RAC Tatkal tickets follow the normal clerkage rule.