Refund Rules for Cancellation of tickets where railway administration is unable to provide accommodation
Cancellation of tickets where railway administration is unable to provide accommodation:-
Where a railway administration is unable to provide accommodation for any reason whatsoever to passengers holding reserved tickets, no cancellation charge shall be levied and full refund of fare shall be granted to them if such tickets are surrendered for refund within three hours from the actual departure of the train.
Provided that when the train is cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances such as accident, breach or flood, the ticket is surrendered within three days excluding the scheduled day of departure of the train.
Source: http://contents.irctc.co.in
| Sl. No. | Indian Railway Refund Rules | For More Information |
| 1 | Cancellation Charges for Confirmed Tickets | Click Here |
| 2 | Cancellation Charges for RAC or Wait listed Tickets | Click Here |
| 3 | Cancellation Charges for Partially Confirmed Tickets | Click Here |
| 4 | Cancellation Charges-Full Wait list Ticket | Click Here |
| 5 | Cancellation Charges-Cancellation of Train | Click Here |
| 6 | Train Running More than Three hours Late and passenger not travelled | Click Here |
| 7 | Cancellation of E-tickets -Refund Rules | Click Here |
| 8 | Cancellation of I-tickets-Refund Rules | Click Here |
| 9 | Cancellation of tickets where railway administration is unable to provide accommodation | Click Here |
| 10 | Refund on partially used tickets | Click Here |
| 11 | Refund of certain fare on failure to provide air-conditioning facility in air-conditioned coaches | Click Here |
| 12 | Refund of fare when passenger are made to travel in lower class for want of accommodation | Click Here |
| 13 | Cancellation of Ticket Booked in Premium Special Trains | Click Here |
| 14 | Tatkal Ticket Cancellation Refund Rules | Click Here |
Contents
🚫 Cancellation of Tickets When Railway Fails to Provide Accommodation
(As per Indian Railways / IRCTC Refund Rules)
If the railway administration is unable to provide accommodation (i.e., reserved seat/berth) despite confirmed booking, passengers are entitled to a full refund, subject to certain conditions.
🧾 Scenarios Where This Applies
Here are common cases where the railway is at fault:
| Scenario | Refund Entitlement |
|---|---|
| Coach not attached (e.g., your reserved coach was not part of the train) | ✅ Full refund |
| Lower class allotted due to unavailability in booked class | ✅ Difference in fare refunded + partial/full refund via TDR |
| No seat/berth provided despite confirmed ticket | ✅ Full refund |
| Train arrives with less coaches or wrong configuration | ✅ Full refund |
📋 How to Claim Refund
1. For E-Tickets (booked via IRCTC)
- You must file a TDR (Ticket Deposit Receipt) online within 3 hours after train departure.
- Reason: “Passenger not provided accommodation due to coach not attached / non-availability”
🔗 File TDR here: IRCTC TDR Portal → Login → My Bookings → File TDR
2. For Counter Tickets (I-Tickets / PRS Bookings)
- File TDR manually at any PRS counter.
- Must be filed within 3 days from the date of scheduled departure.
- You may be asked to provide a certificate from the on-duty Train Superintendent or Station Master confirming the non-provision of accommodation.
📌 Important Notes
- Refund is granted only if you didn’t travel due to the fault.
- For downgraded travel (e.g., 2A booked but traveled in SL), you may be refunded:
- Fare difference plus
- 25% of the fare for the class actually travelled (if full fare paid earlier).
- Refund is processed after verification by Indian Railways, usually within 60 days.
📃 Official Rule (Railway Refund Rules, Rule 6)
“If a passenger with a valid confirmed ticket is not provided a berth or seat due to coach cancellation or non-availability, a full refund shall be granted on submission of a TDR or on production of a certificate from the railway authority.”
✅ Summary
| Situation | Refund | How to Claim |
|---|---|---|
| Coach not attached / seat not provided | ✅ Full refund | File TDR (within 3 hrs for e-tickets) |
| Lower class allotted | ✅ Partial refund | File TDR or approach TTE |
| Counter ticket | ✅ File TDR at PRS counter | Within 3 days with proper certificate |
Let me know your ticket type (e-ticket or counter ticket) and the issue faced, and I’ll guide you step-by-step on how to file the TDR or get your refund.