Crores of passengers use Indian railways as their daily travel mode. A part of passengers book tickets in advance for long journey. Often, passengers, who buy ticket in advance, face problems for various reasons. Now, the Indian railway authority has taken a significant step to curve these issues.
Currently, passengers who miss their train receive no refund. Whether the delay is due to train delays, bad weather, or an emergency, the full fare is forfeited.
Additionally, if a ticket is cancelled before the start of the journey, a fee is charged depending on the class of travel and the time of cancellation. This fee typically ranges from 25% to 50% of the ticket price, and sometimes the passenger loses the entire fare. under this new feature, instead of canceling tickets and paying a fine, passengers will have the option to change their travel dates. Passengers will be able to log in to the IRCTC website or app, select their booked ticket, and choose a different date of travel or a different train, provided seats are available. They will only have to pay the difference in fare.
What will be the benefit to the passengers?
This is a significant improvement for passengers traveling long distances or at the last minute. Currently, missing a train forfeits the entire fare, and changing plans incurs cancellation fees. The new system will allow passengers to change their travel dates without losing any money.
When the rule will on effect?
An official date hasn’t been announced yet, but reports suggest the facility could be operational early next year. It’s part of Indian Railways’ modernization efforts.Such flexible ticketing systems already exist in many countries around the world. Countries like Japan, Europe, and the United Kingdom allow passengers to change trains or receive refunds. This move by Indian Railways is in line with international standards.