Railways tighten cancellation rules ahead of Vande Bharat sleeper rollout

Indian Railways has announced stricter cancellation and refund rules for the forthcoming Vande Bharat sleeper trains, introducing steeper deductions and no refunds for last-minute cancellations as commercial operations are set to begin.

Under a Railway Board notification issued on Friday, passengers who cancel confirmed Vande Bharat sleeper tickets more than 72 hours before the scheduled departure will receive a refund after a 25 per cent deduction. Cancellations made between 72 hours and up to eight hours before departure will attract a 50 per cent deduction.

The notification makes clear that no refund will be granted if a confirmed ticket is cancelled less than eight hours before departure. Passengers will also forfeit the entire fare if they fail to cancel the ticket or do not file a Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR) online at least eight hours in advance.

Indian Railways has also decided not to offer Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC) on Vande Bharat sleeper services. In addition, the minimum chargeable distance for travel on these trains has been fixed at 400 kilometres.

Reservation options will be limited compared with other long-distance services. Only the ladies’ quota, quotas for persons with disabilities and senior citizens, and duty passes will apply, in line with existing rules. No other reservation categories will be available.

The tighter norms come as India prepares to introduce its first Vande Bharat sleeper trains, aimed at providing faster and more comfortable overnight journeys. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday flagged off the inaugural service between Howrah and Kamakhya in Guwahati, marking the launch of the high-speed sleeper variant within the Vande Bharat fleet.

The fully air-conditioned train is expected to reduce travel time on the Howrah–Guwahati route by about two and a half hours, with railway officials promoting the service as offering an airline-style travel experience at comparatively affordable fares.

With agency inputs