Indian Railways has tightened its ticket cancellation rules to curb touting and black marketing. The new rules double the no-refund window to 8 hours and introduce percentage-based penalties for cancellations made earlier than before.
Under the existing rules, unsold tickets could be cancelled within 4 hours of departure with 50% of the fare forfeited. The new rules close this window at 8 hours, eliminating the financial incentive for touts to hold and offload tickets at inflated prices.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the changes, which will be implemented in phases between April 1 and April 15, 2026. The new rules also introduce a 25% deduction for passengers cancelling their tickets between 72 and 24 hours before departure.
The Railway Ministry has also taken steps to crack down on touts, deactivating 30 million suspicious user IDs as part of its ongoing crackdown.
