In a major relief for train travellers, Indian Railways will soon allow passengers to reschedule their confirmed tickets online without paying any additional fee, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced in an interview with NDTV. The new policy, set to take effect from January, aims to make travel more flexible and passenger-friendly.

At present, anyone wishing to change their journey date must cancel their confirmed ticket and book a new one, a process that often leads to heavy deductions depending on the timing of cancellation. Vaishnaw described the existing system as “unfair” and said the government had issued directives to simplify the process.

“Passengers should not be penalised for genuine changes in their plans. This step will make train travel more convenient,” the minister said.

What Passengers Should Know

While passengers will no longer be charged a cancellation fee to change their travel date, the new booking will still depend on seat availability. If the fare for the rescheduled journey is higher, travellers will need to pay the difference.

Officials believe the move will benefit millions of passengers who often need to adjust their schedules but are currently forced to cancel and rebook, losing part of their fare.

Under the current policy, cancelling a confirmed ticket 12 to 48 hours before departure results in a 25% deduction, while cancelling 4 to 12 hours before departure incurs even higher penalties. Once the reservation chart is prepared, no refunds are issued in most cases.

The upcoming reform is part of a broader effort to make Indian Railways’ digital services more user-friendly and responsive to real-world travel needs.