Millions of people travel by train every day, and ticket cancellations are quite common.
However, the rules for cancelling railway tickets are about to change.
The government has approved important amendments to the Railway Passenger (Ticket Cancellation and Fare Refund) Rules, 2015, which will come into effect from January 16, 2026.
These changes will mainly affect passengers traveling on the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express and Amrit Bharat II Express.
If you plan to travel on these trains, understanding the new rules is very important.
What’s New in Railway Ticket Cancellation Rules
The Vande Bharat Sleeper Express is a newly introduced train with high speed, modern facilities, and comfortable sleeper coaches.
Because it offers premium services, its ticket cancellation and refund rules are now different from regular trains.
Under the new rules, passengers will need to be more careful while planning cancellations, as refund conditions have become stricter.
Vande Bharat Sleeper Express Cancellation Charges
The biggest change is in the refund structure for confirmed tickets.
If you cancel your confirmed ticket more than 72 hours before departure, 25% of the ticket fare will be deducted.
If you cancel between 72 hours and 8 hours before departure, 50% of the fare will be deducted.
If the train is less than 8 hours away, no refund will be given on cancellation.
TDR and Refund Rules You Must Know
For the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express, refund rules have been tightened further.
If you do not cancel your ticket or file a TDR (Ticket Deposit Receipt) online at least 8 hours before departure, you will not receive any refund.
After this deadline, refund requests will not be accepted.
Changes in the 72-Hour and 48-Hour Rule
The government has amended Rule 11 of the refund rules
For selected Vande Bharat Sleeper and Amrit Bharat II Express trains, the 72-hour cancellation rule will apply instead of the earlier 48-hour rule.
For all other regular trains, the 48-hour rule will continue as before.
Cancellation Rules for Amrit Bharat II Express
For the Amrit Bharat II Express, reserved tickets will follow the same cancellation and refund rules as the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express.
However, unreserved tickets will continue under the old Rule 5, meaning no major changes for general class passengers.
Ticket status rules like confirmation and waitlisting remain unchanged.
What Passengers Should Remember
From January 16, 2026, passengers traveling on Vande Bharat Sleeper and Amrit Bharat II Express must take quicker decisions on cancellations.
If you want to avoid heavy deductions or losing your entire fare, make sure to cancel your confirmed ticket at least 72 hours in advance.
Waiting too long could cost you 50% to 100% of the ticket amount.
Being aware of these new rules can help you save money and avoid last-minute surprises
