# IRCTC and DGCA rules set refund timelines for cancelled trains and flights 2026-11-13T16:57:17+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Outlets counted: economictimes.indiatimes.com Passengers whose trains are cancelled by Indian Railways are eligible for an automatic full refund on confirmed or RAC e-tickets booked through IRCTC. The refund is processed without the passenger needing to cancel the ticket or file a TDR, and is credited to the original payment account within 3-7 working days after the scheduled departure. Passengers who choose to cancel their own train tickets can do so online through the IRCTC website, with the refund credited after deduction of applicable cancellation charges. For flight cancellations by an airline, the DGCA rules entitle the passenger to either a full refund or an alternative flight. To claim a refund, the passenger must visit the airline’s website or app, enter the PNR and registered email, and select the refund option. If the refund is delayed beyond the processing period, passengers can check the IRCTC refund history for train tickets, contact the airline’s customer support for flights, or approach the relevant railway or aviation grievance redressal channels. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Indian passengers whose trains or flights are cancelled by railways and airlines are entitled to automatic refunds or alternative arrangements, the DGCA and IRCTC rules confirm. For train cancellations, refunds are credited without the passenger needing to file a TDR, while flight cancellations give passengers the choice between a refund or a rebooking. The process is straightforward when the carrier cancels, but passengers who cancel voluntarily face charges. The main unresolved point is the actual processing timeline, stated as 3-7 working days for trains, leaving passengers waiting for money they need for alternative travel. ## Coverage - economictimes.indiatimes.com Straight procedural guide with no slant This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: DGCA, Indian airline industry, Indian Railways, IRCTC Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/irctc-and-dgca-rules-set-refund-timelines-for-cancelled-trains-and-flights/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/irctc-and-dgca-rules-set-refund-timelines-for-cancelled-trains-and-flights/#story-in-brief Gate decision: carve_out (pass: utility (deadline_or_rule_change, deadline:how to claim), qualifying outlets 1, relevance 8) Utility kind: deadline_or_rule_change (deadline:how to claim) Freshness: pass (fresh: newest qualifying source 2026-11-13 09:32Z (feed), 7.4 h old) Image: photograph. Source: https://img.etimg.com/thumb/msid-135807472,width-1200,height-900,imgsize-1242830,overlay-economictimes/articleshow.jpg. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/