How to cancel train tickets through IRCTC e-portal: A step-by-step guide

Any ticket, whether it was purchased from the counter or booked via irctc.co.in (digital portal) can be cancelled in a few easy steps.

Passengers can book/cancel tickets on irctc.co.in. (Photo credit: TV9 Hindi)

• Indian Railways launched its digital reservation in 2014.
• One can easily cancel a booked ticket via irctc.co.in.
• To cancel a counter ticket, one has to return it to the booking centre.

New Delhi: Public transportation is a key element in any country’s development. The more easily, fast, and affordably the public is able to move around the country, the faster is the country’s growth. In India, many passengers prefer railways to travel than road transport or air travel as it offers a faster and cheaper alternative. From 1853, when the first train ran between Bori Bunder (Mumbai) and Thane on April 16, to carrying 22 million passengers daily, the Indian railways have come a long way. With the number of passengers increasing each year, the Indian railways introduced digital reservations or e-ticket bookings in 2014. The website has been revamped several times and passengers can now book/ cancel tickets, meals, track their train, get live train status, etc.

Although ticket booking is easy, many people still struggle to cancel their tickets. Any ticket, whether it was purchased from the counter or booked via irctc.co.in (digital portal) can be cancelled in a few easy steps.

To cancel an e-ticket follow the step below:

• Go to irctc.co.in.
• Click on the four lines at the right top corner.
• Go to cancel tickets.
• Choose from the options depending on the ticket you want to cancel (counter or e-ticket).
• In case you have a counter ticket, the site will ask you for the train number or PNR number that is written on your printed ticket.
• Fill in the details and then you will be asked for the seats you want to cancel.
• If you had booked a ticket online then you will be asked to log in with your registered user id and password.
• Follow the above steps after that to cancel the e-ticket.

If the train is marked as “CANCELLED” in PRS due to breaches, floods, accidents etc. full refund is permissible in case the ticket is cancelled within three days of the scheduled departure of the train. In the case of e-tickets, such cancellations can be done by the customer through the internet. In case of a counter ticket, you need to return the ticket to the booking centre which issued you the ticket.