Indian Railways is set to introduce a convenient new feature that will let passengers modify the date of their confirmed tickets online without paying any additional charges. The service, which is expected to be rolled out in January 2026, will be accessible through the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website as well as its mobile application.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed that the initiative is part of a broader effort to make ticketing more user-friendly and efficient. The new option will allow passengers to reschedule their confirmed tickets directly, eliminating the need for cancellations and rebookings that often result in extra costs and inconvenience.
At present, travellers who need to change their plans must cancel their tickets and book new ones, which leads to deductions from the fare. For instance, cancelling a confirmed ticket between 48 and 12 hours before departure attracts a 25% charge, while cancellations made within 12 hours of travel result in a 50% deduction.
The upcoming system will streamline this process. Passengers will be able to select a new travel date for their confirmed tickets through their IRCTC accounts, provided seats are available. If the fare on the new date is higher, they will only need to pay the difference; if it’s the same or lower, no extra amount will be charged.
Railway officials explained that the rescheduling function will be integrated into IRCTC’s central reservation system in real time. Once a passenger logs in, they can choose their existing booking, view seat availability for the preferred date, and confirm the change instantly.
Officials noted that the feature is designed to benefit frequent travellers and those with uncertain schedules by saving time and avoiding unnecessary financial loss. The initiative also supports Indian Railways’ ongoing push toward digital innovation and better customer service.
In recent months, the Railways have implemented several other measures to modernize its ticketing and reservation system. From October 1, users must complete Aadhaar verification to book general reservation tickets within the first 15 minutes of opening. Additionally, the advance reservation period was reduced from 120 to 60 days last year to ensure more accurate travel planning and reduce last-minute cancellations.
