Booking train tickets have become quite easier, in fact, the Indian Railways catering service provider IRCTC has also enhanced its website making online booking even more flexible. In just a few clicks you can book either reserved, tatkal, waitlisted and unreserved train tickets. However, there are a different set of rules levied when it comes to the cancellation of e-ticket. Notably, a ticket booked online can be cancelled until chart preparation of the train. Also, they are not allowed at railway counters. If you are wishing to cancel your e-ticket, then you can cancel the ticket one day ahead of departure. For example, if a train starts at 12 noon, the chart preparation is generally done on the previous night. Hence, cancel your ticket before those hours. 

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One can log onto www.irctc.co.in and go to "Booked Tickets" link and select the ticket to be cancelled and can initiate the cancellation by selecting the passengers to be cancelled.

However, the cancellation of e-ticket comes at a cost. 

At IRCTC, if a confirmed ticket is cancelled more than 48 hours before the scheduled departure of the train, flat cancellation charges shall be deducted at Rs 240 for AC First Class/Executive Class, Rs 200 for AC 2 Tier/First Class, Rs 180 for AC 3 Tier/AC Chair car/ AC 3 Economy, Rs120 for Sleeper Class and Rs 60 for Second Class. Note that, cancellation charges are per passenger. 

IRCTC on its website guides that, if a confirmed ticket is cancelled within 48 hrs and up to 12 hours before the scheduled departure of the train, cancellation charges shall be 25% of the fare subject to the minimum flat rate mentioned in the above clause. Less than 12 hours and up to four hours before the scheduled departure of the train up to chart preparation which is earlier, 50% of the fare paid subject to the minimum cancellation charges. 

If you are a normal user, then your e-ticket cannot be cancelled after chart preparation. Users are requested to use the online TDR filing for such cases and track Status of the refund case through tracking service provided by IRCTC. 

No refund of fare shall be admissible on the tickets having confirmed reservation in case the ticket is not cancelled or TDR not filed online upto four hours before the scheduled departure of the train.

No refund of fare shall be admissible on RAC e-tickets is case the ticket is not cancelled or TDR not filed online upto thirty minutes before the scheduled departure of the train.

In case, on a party e-ticket or a family e-ticket issued for travel of more than one passenger, some passengers have confirmed reservation and others are on RAC or waiting list, full refund of fare , less clerkage, shall be admissible for confirmed passengers also subject to the condition that the ticket shall be cancelled online or online TDR shall be filed for all the passengers upto thirty minutes before the scheduled departure of the train.

Cancellation of ticket would be confirmed online and the refund would be credited back to the account used for booking as for normal Internet tickets.

In case, if there is any partial cancellation of ticket, please ensure that a fresh e-reservation slip (Electronic Reservation Slip) is printed separately as done for the original ticket.