On a confirmed IRCTC ticket, the cancellation charge depends on how close to departure you cancel. As of 2026, cancelling 48 hours or more before departure costs only a flat clerkage fee (₹120 for Sleeper, ₹180 for 3A and CC, ₹200 for 2A, ₹240 for 1A and EC). Cancel later and the charge rises to 25% of the fare, then 50%, then the whole fare.
This guide gives the exact slabs, how waitlist and RAC tickets are treated, and what a confirmed Tatkal ticket gets you (nothing). Railway rules change, so confirm the figure on IRCTC before you cancel a high-value ticket.
How much does IRCTC charge to cancel a confirmed ticket?
A confirmed ticket loses the higher of a flat clerkage amount or a percentage of the fare, and the percentage grows as departure gets closer. The flat amount depends on your class.
| Time before departure | Deduction |
|---|---|
| 48 hours or more | Flat clerkage only |
| 12 to 48 hours | Higher of flat clerkage or 25% of fare |
| 4 to 12 hours | Higher of flat clerkage or 50% of fare |
| Under 4 hours, or after the chart | No refund |
The percentage is taken on the fare you paid. If 25% of your fare is smaller than the flat clerkage, you pay the flat amount instead.
What is the flat clerkage charge for each class?
The flat clerkage charge is a fixed rupee amount per passenger that depends only on the class you booked. As of 2026, these are the figures our refund calculator uses:
| Class | Flat clerkage per passenger |
|---|---|
| Sleeper (SL) | ₹120 |
| Third AC (3A) | ₹180 |
| AC Chair Car (CC) | ₹180 |
| Second AC (2A) | ₹200 |
| First AC (1A) | ₹240 |
| Executive Class (EC) | ₹240 |
Second Sitting (2S) has its own, lower clerkage amount, so check IRCTC for the current figure on 2S tickets.
What happens if I cancel more than 48 hours before departure?
You lose only the flat clerkage amount for your class, and the rest of the fare comes back. This is the cheapest time to cancel, by a wide margin.
Take a Sleeper ticket that cost ₹600. Cancelled three days out, you pay ₹120 and get ₹480 back. The same ticket cancelled 10 hours before departure loses 50% (₹300), so you get ₹300 back.
If your plans are shaky, decide before the 48-hour mark. The cancellation deadline tool shows when each slab starts for your journey date and time.
What is the charge between 12 and 48 hours before departure?
Within this window you pay whichever is higher: the flat clerkage or 25% of the fare. On cheap tickets the flat amount usually wins; on pricier AC tickets the 25% slab does.
Example: a 3A ticket of ₹1,800 cancelled 24 hours before departure. 25% is ₹450, which is higher than the ₹180 flat clerkage. You lose ₹450 and get ₹1,350 back.
A Sleeper ticket of ₹400 in the same window: 25% is ₹100, below the ₹120 flat clerkage. You lose ₹120 and get ₹280 back.
What is the charge between 4 and 12 hours before departure?
You pay the higher of the flat clerkage or 50% of the fare. This is the expensive zone, and it catches people who "wait and see" about a trip.
On that same ₹1,800 3A ticket, cancelling 8 hours before departure costs ₹900. You get ₹900 back. Moving your cancellation even a few hours earlier, across the 12-hour line, saves you half of that.
When do I get no refund at all?
A confirmed ticket gets no refund if you cancel less than 4 hours before departure, or after the chart is prepared. Chart timing has also changed recently, so check it for your train.
As of 2026, the first chart is prepared about 8 hours before departure, and by about 9:00 PM the previous night for trains leaving between 5:00 AM and 2:00 PM. Our guide to chart preparation time has the details. For a morning train, the practical deadline to cancel is therefore the evening before, not the morning of travel.
If a refund is not available and you still want to claim something, the usual route is filing a TDR (Ticket Deposit Receipt) with IRCTC. That is only for specific cases, such as a train that is cancelled or heavily delayed, not for a change of plans.
How are waitlisted tickets cancelled?
A waitlisted ticket cancelled before chart preparation gets the full fare back minus a flat ₹60 per passenger. This is the cheapest cancellation of all, so do not hold on to a waitlist that looks hopeless.
If the ticket is still waitlisted when the chart is prepared, IRCTC cancels it automatically and refunds it to your original payment method. You do not have to act. You also cannot travel on it. Read more in our guide to Tatkal waiting list tickets, and remember that Tatkal waitlists work the same way at chart time.
Here is a point worth planning around. A waitlisted ticket costs you almost nothing to drop, while a confirmed one gets steadily more expensive. If you are holding a waitlisted ticket as a backup, cancel it before the chart if you have already confirmed an alternative.
How are RAC tickets cancelled?
RAC tickets are refunded as the fare minus the flat clerkage for your class, provided you cancel before the chart is prepared. After the chart, there is no refund.
An RAC ticket means you will get a seat to sit on, even if not a full berth. If you are happy with that, you may not need to cancel at all. If a better option has come up, cancel before the chart to keep the refund.
Can I cancel a confirmed Tatkal ticket?
You can cancel it, but a confirmed Tatkal ticket is not refunded on a voluntary cancellation. The Tatkal charge is also not returned in any case.
This is the biggest difference from a regular ticket. Our guide to Tatkal refund rules covers the exceptions, such as a train that is cancelled or does not carry the coach you booked. Tatkal is available in the AC classes 2A, 3A, CC and 3E and in the non-AC classes. It is not available in First AC (1A) or Executive Class (EC).
Because Tatkal cannot be undone cheaply, book it only when your dates are firm.
How can I avoid cancellation charges altogether?
The most reliable way to avoid cancellation charges is to book once, with firm dates, and cancel only if you must, before the 48-hour mark. Confirmed seats are easiest to get when you book as soon as the window opens.
Indian Railways opens advance reservations 60 days ahead at 8:00 AM IST. Work out your opening date with the booking window calculator. Booking on day one means you can pick the train and date you actually want, and you are less likely to book a backup that you then pay to cancel.
If you keep missing that 8:00 AM opening, a free email reminder from Train Genie can alert you before your T-60 and Tatkal windows open. You can set one up on the booking reminder page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much does IRCTC charge to cancel a train ticket?
A: It depends on class and timing. As of 2026, cancelling a confirmed ticket 48 hours or more before departure costs only the flat clerkage (₹120 for Sleeper, up to ₹240 for 1A and EC). Closer to departure, you lose 25% or 50% of the fare if that is higher than the flat amount.
Q: Can I get a refund if I cancel after the chart is prepared?
A: Not on a confirmed ticket. A confirmed ticket cancelled after the chart, or less than 4 hours before departure, gets no refund. A fully waitlisted ticket is cancelled automatically and refunded.
Q: What is the cancellation charge for a waitlisted ticket?
A: A waitlisted ticket cancelled before the chart is refunded in full minus a flat ₹60 per passenger. If it is still waitlisted at chart time, IRCTC cancels it for you and refunds the money to the original payment method.
Q: Is a confirmed Tatkal ticket refundable?
A: No, not on a voluntary cancellation. The Tatkal charge is not refunded in any case. Refunds are possible only in special cases such as a cancelled train.
Q: How long does an IRCTC cancellation refund take?
A: Refunds for online tickets usually reach the original payment method within a few working days, though the time varies with your bank or payment mode. If it takes unusually long, check your cancellation status in your IRCTC booking history.
Cancellations hurt most when you booked in a hurry. Sign up for Train Genie's free email reminders for T-60 advance booking and Tatkal windows on the booking reminder page, and book the seat you actually want the first time.