Hyderabad: The Indian Railways has announced a major reform to enhance passenger convenience. Beginning in January, passengers can change their journey date online on a booked ticket without cancelling or rebooking. This initiative will make train travel easier, faster, and more flexible for passengers across the country.
Indian Railways to let passengers change journey date online
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw unveiled the new policy and criticised the current system for being inconvenient to passengers. “The old process caused unnecessary trouble. The new system will make travel simpler and reduce stress for everyone,” he said.
Under the new system, travellers can directly modify their journey date through the online booking portal. They no longer need to cancel tickets or pay extra fees. However, the revised travel date must have available seats. If the new fare is higher, passengers will need to pay the difference. Moreover, the change can be made entirely online, saving time and effort.
The new system replaces the old restrictive policy
Until now, passengers with confirmed tickets could not change their travel date. They had to cancel the booking and lose part of the fare before rebooking. Refunds also depended on how early the cancellation occurred. For example, cancelling 48 hours before departure led to a 25% deduction, while later cancellations cost more. Once the reservation chart was prepared, passengers received no refund at all.
With the new system, travellers will save time, money, and effort. Furthermore, it supports Indian Railways’ broader push toward digital transformation and transparency in public services. Consequently, the reform marks a major step toward a passenger-friendly, technology-driven railway system.
