Vande Bharat Sleeper introduce stricter refund rules, no refund within 8 hours

Indian Railways has announced stringent cancellation and refund rules for Vande Bharat sleeper trains, including zero refunds for late cancellations and higher deductions for early ones, as the premium overnight service prepares to begin commercial operations.

Ahead of the launch of Vande Bharat sleeper train services, Indian Railways has notified tougher cancellation and refund norms for passengers booking tickets on the premium overnight trains.

According to a Railway Board notification issued on Friday, passengers cancelling a confirmed Vande Bharat sleeper ticket more than 72 hours before the scheduled departure will be eligible for a refund after a 25% deduction of the fare. If the cancellation is made between 72 hours and up to eight hours before departure, 50% of the ticket fare will be deducted.

The notification makes it clear that no refund will be granted if a confirmed ticket is cancelled less than eight hours before the scheduled departure of the train. 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 prior to departure.

In another significant departure from existing train services, Indian Railways has ruled out the provision of Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC) for Vande Bharat sleeper trains. The minimum chargeable distance for travel on these trains has been fixed at 400 kilometres.

The Railway Board also limited the reservation categories applicable to the new service. Only ladies quota, quota for persons with disabilities, senior citizen quota, and duty pass will be allowed, with no other reservation categories applicable.

The stricter norms come as India rolls out its first Vande Bharat sleeper train, aimed at offering faster, more comfortable overnight travel. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday flagged off the inaugural service between Howrah and Kamakhya (Guwahati).

The fully air-conditioned sleeper train is expected to reduce travel time on the route by approximately 2.5 hours and provide an airline-like travel experience at comparatively affordable fares.