In a first, Indian Railways to allow change travel dates for booked tickets

Indian Railways is introducing a new measure aimed at making travel more flexible and passenger-friendly. Beginning January, travellers with confirmed tickets will be able to change their journey date online at no extra cost, according to a report by NDTV quoting Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

At present, passengers who wish to alter their travel date must cancel their confirmed ticket and book a new one — a process that often results in fare deductions depending on the timing of cancellation. The revised system seeks to remove that inconvenience and financial loss.

Vaishnaw stated that the earlier process was burdensome and unfair to passengers, and said the new rules have already been approved for rollout. However, he clarified that seat availability will still determine whether passengers can secure a confirmed booking on the rescheduled date. In cases where the new fare is higher, travellers will be required to pay the difference.

The initiative is expected to benefit millions of passengers who frequently need to modify their travel plans.
Under current cancellation norms, passengers lose 25% of the fare if a confirmed ticket is cancelled between 48 and 12 hours before departure. The penalty rises for cancellations made closer to the journey, and no refund is issued after the reservation chart is prepared