Indian Railways Updates Ticket Cancellation and Refund Rules from April 2026

Indian Railways has introduced updated ticket cancellation and refund rules that will come into effect from April 2026. The revised policy aims to bring more clarity and discipline to the ticketing process while helping manage last-minute cancellations more effectively. Under the new guidelines, passengers may still receive partial refunds depending on when they cancel their tickets before the scheduled departure time. The earlier the ticket is cancelled, the higher the refund amount passengers can receive.

However, the updated rules also introduce stricter conditions for last-minute cancellations. If a confirmed ticket is cancelled within 8 hours of the train’s departure, passengers will not be eligible for any refund. The move is intended to reduce misuse of last-minute cancellations and improve seat availability for other travellers. With millions of passengers using rail services every day in India, the new policy aims to create a more structured and transparent ticket refund system for railway travellers