Refund on Indian Railways Tatkal Tickets

'Tatkal Railway Reservation' is an emergency reservation scheme of the Indian Railways. Tickets under ‘Tatkal Scheme’ can be booked just 2 days before the actual date of journey. Since Tatkal tickets are a little expensive than the normal tickets, the refund rules on Tatkal ticket are quite different and heavy as compared to the normal ticket.

An amount of 25% of total fare is charged on non-confirmed ticket (excluding Tatkal Charges) is refunded on cancellation of a Tatkal ticket. These charges are quite less, in some case just Rs. 20-50 for a normal train ticket. The ticket can be cancelled up to 24 hrs before the scheduled departure of train. No refund is granted on the confirmed 'Tatkal' tickets, if a ticket is cancelled within 24 hrs of the scheduled departure.

Full refund of fare and Tatkal Charges is applicable only in certain circumstances like:

1) If the train is delayed by more than 3 hours at the journey originating point of passenger and not the boarding point if the passenger's journey originating point and boarding point are different.
2) If the train is to run on diverted route and the passenger is not willing to travel; boarding station or the destination station or both the stations are not on the diverted route
3) In case of non attachment of coach in which Tatkal accommodation has been earmarked and the passenger has not been provided accommodation in the same class.
4) If the party has been accommodated in lower class and does not want to travel. In case the party travels in lower class, the passenger will be given refund of difference of fare and also the difference of Tatkal charges if any.