What to Do If Your Train Is Late or Cancelled

Look up the train's live status for your date. Check the current delay, the last reported station, and whether the train is shown as cancelled. If the train is running very late, work out when it will actually reach your station, not just the scheduled time.

• If the railway cancels a train, the fare for e-tickets is normally refunded automatically.
• If a train is running more than three hours late at your boarding station, you can usually decide not to travel and claim a full refund by filing a TDR (Ticket Deposit Receipt) online.
• Filing deadlines apply for both, so act quickly and check the current rules on IRCTC.
• Indian Railways does not generally pay compensation for delays, so the refund route is the main option.

• Search all trains between your stations for later departures on the same day.
• Check seat availability on those trains, and remember that current booking opens close to departure.
• If your destination has more than one station, check the others too.

If you are using two trains, a delay on the first can make you miss the second. When the two journeys are separate tickets, the railway has no obligation to hold your second train or rebook you. A connecting journey booked together may be treated differently, so check the rules for your booking.

• Leave a generous buffer between trains. A common rule of thumb is a few hours when the tickets are separate.
• Check the live status of the first train early, not when you are already at the station.
• Have a plan B, such as the next train on the second leg and its availability.

• The Indian Railways helpline is 139. Station staff and the station master's office can also help on the spot.
• Rail Madad is the official portal and app for railway complaints and assistance.
• For safety emergencies, the Railway Protection Force helpline is 182. These numbers can change, so confirm them on the official site.