TrainTicket.info

Can you still file a TDR?

Every ground has its own deadline, and they run from different events — some from departure, some from arrival, one from a certificate you have to collect on the train. Missing the window is the usual way people lose money they were actually owed.

Pick the situation that matches yours.

The railway cancelled the train.

Date and time in IST, as printed on the ticket.

Enter the scheduled departure to see whether the window is open.

Every ground, and when it closes

Cancellation is for changing your mind. A TDR is for when the railway changed the deal.

What happenedDeadlineRefund
Train was cancelledNo filing neededFull fare, with no cancellation charge.
Train more than 3 hours lateBefore the train actually departsFull fare, with no cancellation charge.
AC did not work20 hours after arrivalThe difference between the AC class fare and the fare of the class you effectively travelled in, for the affected stretch.
Coach was not attached2 days after the certificateFull fare if you did not travel, or the difference if you travelled in a lower class.
Made to travel in a lower class2 days after the certificateThe difference between the fare paid and the fare of the class you travelled in.
Train was diverted72 hours after arrivalFull fare, with no cancellation charge.
Train stopped short of destination72 hours after arrivalThe fare for the portion of the journey you did not travel.
TTE charged excess fare72 hours after arrivalThe excess amount collected.
Confirmed ticket, did not travel8 hours before departureThe ordinary cancellation refund for the slab you are in. This is not a way around the cancellation charge.
RAC or waitlisted, did not travel30 min before departureThe fare less clerkage of ₹60 per passenger.
The certificate is the part people skip. For AC failure, a coach not attached, or a forced downgrade, the claim rests on a certificate from the TTE or station master. You cannot get one after you have left the station, and without it the TDR is almost always rejected. Ask on the train, while the problem is visible.

TDR questions

What is a TDR and how is it different from cancelling?

Cancellation is for changing your mind, and it costs you a cancellation charge. A Ticket Deposit Receipt is for when the railway changed the deal — the train was cancelled, ran more than three hours late, the AC failed, your coach was not attached. On those grounds a TDR can return far more than a cancellation would, sometimes the full fare.

Do I need to file a TDR if my train is cancelled?

No. If the railway cancels the train, the full fare on an e-ticket is refunded automatically to the account you paid from. Filing a TDR does not speed it up. A counter ticket has to be surrendered at a reservation counter instead.

My train is running late. When do I have to file?

Before the train actually departs, if it is more than three hours behind schedule and you decide not to travel. The deadline is the real departure, not the timetabled one, so a very late train gives you more time than the schedule suggests. Once it leaves, or once you board, the ground is gone.

The AC failed. How long do I have?

Twenty hours from the train reaching its destination. You also need a certificate from the TTE or conductor recording the failure, and you cannot obtain that after the journey, so ask for it on the train.

How long does a TDR refund take?

Considerably longer than a cancellation. A TDR is examined and settled by the railway rather than processed automatically, and several weeks is normal.

Can a TDR rescue a ticket I forgot to cancel?

Not really. On a confirmed ticket where you simply did not travel, the TDR route is bounded by the same cut-off as cancellation — since April 2026 that is 8 hours before departure, up from 4. Past it there is nothing to claim.

Just changing your plans?

An ordinary cancellation is the faster route, and the calculator shows what it costs.

Refund calculator

Sources