New Delhi: If you book train tickets online, this news will prove very useful to you. Often, while booking a ‘Tatkal’ ticket, money is deducted from your account, but the booking itself does not go through. This can be frustrating, but there is no need to worry anymore.
You might be wondering how the deducted money will be returned or how the refund process works. If the Tatkal ticket is not booked, the Railways will issue a refund. Here are some key points to help you understand the process and clear up any confusion.
Find out what you need to do first.
If money is deducted while booking a Tatkal ticket but the booking doesn’t seem to have gone through, you should first verify the booking details. Sometimes, the payment is processed, but the ticket PNR does not appear on the screen immediately. You can check your ‘Ticket History’ on the IRCTC website or app to verify this.
If the ticket appears there, you can easily view the PNR and ticket status. If the ticket is not listed in the history and no PNR has been generated, then the ticket was not booked.
Did you know that if money is deducted from your bank account but the ticket isn’t booked, the amount is refunded via the bank or payment gateway? Generally, you do not need to cancel the ticket separately since it was never actually generated.
When will the refund be processed?
If money is deducted but the Tatkal ticket is not booked, the refund process is straightforward. You can identify at which stage the transaction failed. Sometimes the money is returned quickly, while in other cases, it may take longer due to bank processing times, holidays, or payment gateway procedures. Therefore, before making another payment immediately, it is advisable to check your bank account and IRCTC booking history.
What to do if the refund is not received
Do not worry if your ticket was not booked and the money was not refunded. First, check the transaction status in your bank account or UPI app. You should keep the transaction ID, bank reference number, and payment date handy. You can then lodge a complaint with IRCTC customer support.
Providing details such as your IRCTC user ID, booking date and time, payment amount, payment method, and transaction ID when filing a complaint makes it easier to track the issue. This will completely resolve your ticket refund-related issue.
