Claim refunds for train delay, diversion, AC failure: Here is how to

Ticket Deposit Receipt facility helps railway passengers get their money back for poor service

Indian Railway passengers often have to suffer train delays, route diversions and malfunctioning ACs, but they can get their money back for such inconvenience. The Railways allows passengers to seek a refund through a facility called Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR).

 

TDR is useful if your journey was disrupted but it has deadlines and requires specific reasons for considering claims. Here's how to make sure you don’t miss out on what you may be rightfully owed.

 

What is a TDR?

 

A TDR is a formal refund request that can be submitted to IRCTC, the railway ticketing website, when a passenger either didn’t undertake the journey or had to travel under less-than-promised conditions. The process applies to tickets booked through IRCTC and covers a range of scenarios, provided the correct reason is selected and it’s filed within the stipulated time frame.

 

Scenarios under which TDR can be filed

Here are the reasons allowed for TDR claims and deadlines for each:

 

-Train late more than three hours and passenger did not travel:

 

File before the actual departure of the train from the boarding station.

 

-Difference of fare if proper coach not attached, travelled in class lower than for passengers tickets for, Eg- bought tickets for 1st AC and travelled in 2AC:

 

File within 2 days, excluding the date of issue of the certificate.

 

-AC failure:

 

File within 20 hours of the train’s actual arrival at the passenger’s destination.

 

-All confirmed passengers did not travel:

 

File up to four hours before the scheduled departure of the train.

 

-Train diverted and passenger did not travel:

 

File within 72 hours of the train’s scheduled departure.

 

-Train diverted and not touching boarding station:

 

File within 72 hours of the scheduled departure.

 

-Train diverted and not touching destination station:

 

File within 72 hours of the scheduled departure.

 

-Party partially confirmed/waitlisted and waitlisted passengers did not travel:

 

File within 72 hours of the train’s actual arrival at the destination.

 

-Party partially confirmed/waitlisted and all passengers did not travel:

 

File up to 30 minutes before the scheduled departure.

 

-Difference of fare as passenger travelled in lower class:

 

File within 2 days, excluding the date of issue of the certificate.

 

-Party partially travelled (refund on partially used ticket):

 

File within 72 hours of scheduled departure.

 

-Passenger not travelled as reservation provided in lower class: 

File within 3 hours of the train’s actual departure.

 

-Passenger not travelled due to coach damage:

 

File within three hours of the train’s actual departure.

 

-Train terminated short of destination:

 

File within 72 hours from the scheduled arrival at the destination station.

 

-These rules are as per the latest IRCTC guidelines. Failure to adhere to the time limits can lead to rejection of the refund claim.

 

How to file a TDR on IRCTC

 

If your case falls under any of the above reasons, here’s how to file the refund request:

 

-Log in at www.irctc.co.in.

 

-Go to My Account > My Transactions > File TDR.

 

-Select the relevant PNR (ticket).

 

-Choose the correct reason for the TDR from the dropdown.

 

-Select the passenger(s) for whom the claim is to be made.

 

-Click ‘File TDR’ and confirm the request.

 

-A success message will be displayed upon submission.

Points to note

 

-Connecting trains on different PNRs are not eligible for TDR-based refunds.

 

-In cases like downgrade or coach change, you may be required to get a certificate from onboard staff.

 

-Refunds are subject to verification by railway authorities and may take time to process.