TL;DR: Starting January 2026, passengers with confirmed train tickets can change their travel date online via IRCTC without cancellation or service fees. Fare difference must be paid if the new date costs more. This policy aims to make train travel more flexible and reduce in-person visits to counters.
🚆 New Train Ticket Date Change Policy (Effective January 2026)
- Free Date Change Online:
- No Extra Charges:
- Subject to Seat Availability:
- One-Time Change Only:
- Deadline for Changes:
- Aadhaar Requirement:
Passengers with confirmed or RAC tickets can change the travel date without cancelling or rebooking, using the IRCTC website or app.
There will be no cancellation fee or deduction. However, fare difference must be paid if the new travel date has a higher fare. No refund will be given if the new fare is lower.
The new date change is allowed only if seats are available on the desired train and class.
Each ticket can be rescheduled once, and the new booking must be in the same or higher class.
Passengers must request the change at least 48 hours before departure, in line with current rules for offline changes.
The facility will be available only to users with Aadhaar-authenticated IRCTC accounts.
📢 Official Confirmation & Implementation
- Announcement Date:
- Quote from Minister:
- Implementation Orders:
The policy was announced by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in an NDTV interview, with widespread news coverage between October 6-8, 2025.
"This system is designed to make the railway experience more passenger-centric and reduce the stress of cancellations." - Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Railway Minister
The Railway Ministry has issued orders to implement the feature starting January 2026, after necessary technical updates to IRCTC systems.
🔁 Comparison: Current vs New Policy
Feature | Current Policy | New Policy (Jan 2026) |
Date change method | In-person at counter | Online via IRCTC |
Charges | Up to 50% cancellation fee | No extra charges |
Fare difference | Must be paid | Must be paid |
Eligibility | Confirmed tickets only | Confirmed & RAC tickets |
Seat availability | Rebook manually if cancelled | Change allowed only if seats available |
Time limit | 48 hours before departure | Same – 48 hours before departure |
🔍 Additional Notes
- Applies only to e-tickets, not clearly extended to waitlisted tickets.
- Change applies only to travel date, not other details like train number or passenger name.
- Aims to reduce counter crowding, enhance digital convenience, and save passengers cancellation costs.