IRCTC Train Tickets: IRCTC Train Tickets to get costlier! Indian Railway passengers should know about the fact that the online train tickets booked through IRCTC next-generation e-ticketing website are likely to become costlier.  Indian Railways has decided to restore the service fee charges, almost three years after they were withdrawn in order to promote digital payments. This means that that the e-tickets booked through the IRCTC website will pinch your pocket more.

According to a recent PTI report, the Railway Board has given its approval to the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), the e-ticketing arm of Indian Railways, to restore the system of levying service charges for passengers booking online tickets. An IRCTC official told that it is not yet certain whether the service charges on the IRCTC e-tickets will be restored to the previous amount. IRCTC is yet to receive any official order on restoring service charges, the official told Financial Express Online.

IRCTC Train Tickets: HIGHLIGHTS



  • IRCTC used to levy a service charge of Rs 20 on every non-AC e ticket and Rs 40 for every AC ticket.
  • The Railway Board has given its approval to IRCTC to restore the mechanism of charging service charge from passengers booking online tickets.

IRCTC Train Tickets: Why the PRICES go up!!

The Railway Board has stated the following:

  • IRCTC had made a detailed case for the restoration of service charge on the booking of e-tickets, and the concerned matter has been examined by the competent authority.
  • The letter further stated that the Ministry of Finance has contended that the process of waiving of service charges was a temporary move and that the Railway Ministry could begin levying service charges on sale of IRCTC e-tickets.
  • Taking into consideration the advice given by the Ministry of Finance, the competent authority had decided that IRCTC may take a suitable decision on the imposition or restoration of convenience fee/service charges and the quantum is to be levied.

According to railway officials, after the service charges were discontinued, IRCTC saw a 26% drop in the internet ticketing revenue in the financial year 2016-2017. Previously, IRCTC used to levy a service charge of Rs 20 on every e-ticket for non air-conditioned coach and Rs 40 on every e-ticket for an air-conditioned coach.