In case of train cancellation, money will be refunded automatically
What's the story
On Friday, the Indian Railways announced that in case a train is fully cancelled i.e. from start to end, booked tickets will automatically be cancelled and refunds will be processed automatically. Refunds will be processed to the same account through which payment was made while booking the tickets, said the IRCTC which handles the Railways' online ticketing operations. Here are the details.
Twitter Post
The official announcement by the IRCTC
In case Train is fully cancelled from Start station to end station, PNR will be automatically cancelled. Refunds will be processed in the same account through which payment was made. For more, please log on to https://t.co/s3mX8V8YUd pic.twitter.com/UXRawh2nMD
— IRCTC (@IRCTCofficial) May 4, 2018
New rules pt.1
How the Railways is trying to improve passengers' experiences
The Railways has recently initiated several moves for making passengers' ticketing experiences hassle-free. New rules include booking Tatkal tickets a day before travel - there are different times for AC and general coaches to prevent overload of the IRCTC website. Passengers can also claim a full refund of train fare and Tatkal charges, if the train fails to leave within three hours of scheduled departure.
New rules pt.2
Railways now offers passengers multiple refund options
Further, passengers can now claim a full refund if a train's route is diverted and the passenger doesn't want to travel on the route. In case of a diversion, passengers can claim a refund if their stop(s) aren't on the new route. Additionally, passengers can also claim a full refund if he/she is shifted to a lower class and is unwilling to travel.
Ticket transfer
Now, transferring confirmed tickets is also an option
In March, the Railways had also announced an option allowing the transfer of confirmed tickets from one person to another. According to the guidelines, tickets can now be transferred to a family member if a written request is submitted at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled departure. Students from recognized educational institutes will have to get approval from institute heads to transfer tickets to other students.