IRCTC To Introduce Free Rescheduling For Confirmed Train Tickets Soon — How New System Will Work

Indian Railways will soon let passengers change travel dates online. This new feature will apply to confirmed tickets only, with no extra charge to passengers. The feature is likely to be launched in January 2026 and will be available on the IRCTC website and app, Hindustan Times reported.

The upcoming feature will allow travellers to directly reschedule their confirmed tickets instead of cancelling and rebooking them. With the addition of this new feature, Indian Railways is hoping to enhance the ticket booking and travel experience for passengers.

Currently, missing a train means cancelling the ticket and paying a fee, depending on how early the ticket was cancelled compared to the journey date. The new feature will enable passengers to rebook another train at no extra cost.

Under the existing rules, in case of sudden changes in travel plans or emergencies, passengers end up paying up to 25% of the fare as cancellation fee, even if the ticket is cancelled between 48 hours and up to 12 hours before the scheduled departure of the train.

Once the new rules kick in, passengers will only need to pay the fare difference for booking a new train, according to a report by Times Now.

If a delayed flight causes passengers to miss their train, they will be shifted to the next available train. This marks a shift from the existing norm, where passengers lose their journey ticket and cannot claim any compensation from the Railways.

At present, if a confirmed train ticket is cancelled more than 48 hours before departure, flat cancellation charges apply: Rs 240 for AC First/Executive Class, Rs 200 for AC 2 Tier/First Class, Rs 180 for AC 3 Tier/Chair Car/3E, Rs 120 for Sleeper and Rs 60 for Second Class. These charges are per passenger.

For cancellations between 48 hours and 12 hours before departure, 25% of the fare is charged. If the ticket is cancelled less than 12 hours and up to 4 hours before departure or chart preparation (whichever is earlier), 50% of the fare is charged by the Indian Railways.

The new rescheduling system will allow passengers to change their travel date online, subject to seat availability on the new train. If the new ticket fare is higher, only the fare difference will be charged. No extra fee will apply if the fare is the same or lower, allowing passengers to enjoy a seamless travel experience.

According to railway officials, this feature will be integrated in real time with IRCTC’s central reservation system. To use it, passengers must log in to their IRCTC account, select the existing booking and choose a new date.

The system will check availability and update the ticket instantly, making the process convenient and hassle-free.