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Travel

4.1/5 Editorial Score

HDFC Bank RuPay IRCTC Credit Card

Dedicated Rail Travel Rewards and RuPay UPI Convenience

Best Suited For

Frequent Indian Railways travellers, commuters, and UPI users seeking ticket savings and station lounge comfort.

Travel

Joining Fee

₹500

One-time upfront

Annual Fee

₹500

Waived on ₹1.5 lakh annual spend

Base Rewards

1 CashPoint per ₹100 spent on other retail transactions (1% return)

On eligible spends

Forex Markup

3.50% + GST

Cross-currency spends

Apply Now Compare Card Official Terms

Last verified 2 Oct 2026

Why Consider This Card?

Objective editorial assessment, ideal spender profile, and primary trade-offs

Editorial Verdict

4.1/5 Editorial Score

The HDFC Bank RuPay IRCTC Credit Card combines two highly practical financial utilities in India: dedicated train travel benefits and seamless RuPay UPI credit integration. Co-branded directly with Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), the card delivers 5 Reward Points per ₹100 spent on IRCTC train ticket bookings made via HDFC's SmartBuy platform, alongside an essential 1% transaction surcharge waiver on IRCTC website and mobile app bookings. A key lifestyle highlight is the inclusion of 4 complimentary visits per calendar year (1 per quarter) to designated IRCTC Executive Lounges across major Indian railway hubs such as New Delhi, Agra, Ahmedabad, and Jaipur. This provides immense comfort during long transit layovers that standard railway passengers rarely enjoy. Being built on the RuPay credit rail, cardholders can link this card to UPI applications like Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm, earning baseline rewards on everyday QR merchant scans. However, reward redemption is heavily optimized toward railway ticketing vouchers via SmartBuy, and points expire after 2 years. Furthermore, general retail spending yields only a modest 1 RP per ₹100. For regular rail commuters who travel on Shatabdi, Rajdhani, Vande Bharat, or express trains, the welcome voucher of ₹500 and annual surcharge savings easily outstrip the ₹500 annual fee, which itself is waived on spending ₹1.5 Lakhs annually.

Ideal For:Frequent Indian Railways travellers, commuters, and UPI users seeking ticket savings and station lounge comfort.

Travel

Card Strengths

5 Reward Points per ₹100 on IRCTC ticket purchases booked through HDFC SmartBuy
4 complimentary annual visits (1 per quarter) to executive railway lounges across India
1% transaction surcharge waiver on train bookings on official IRCTC portal and app
Full RuPay UPI integration for scanning merchant QR codes from credit line
₹500 Amazon gift voucher welcome gift compensating for the initial joining fee

Things to Keep in Mind

Modest baseline return of just 1 Reward Point per ₹100 on general non-rail retail spends
No domestic airport lounge access included (railway lounges only)
Annual fee waiver spend hurdle of ₹1,50,000 is somewhat high for an entry-level travel card
Monthly cap applied on SmartBuy accelerated railway reward points

Additional Cardholder Privileges

Rewards

5X Reward Points/₹100 for IRCTC Bookings and 1 Reward Point/₹100 for Other Valid Spends. An Additional 5% Cashback Can Be Earned for Rail Bookings Via SmartBuy

Welcome

Welcome Benefit 1

Amazon Voucher Worth ₹500

Travel

IRCTC Executive Railway Lounge Access

Cardholders receive up to 8 complimentary railway lounge visits per calendar year (max 2 visits per quarter) at participating IRCTC Executive Lounges across India. This card does not provide airport lounge access.

Rewards & Cashback Structure

Base earning rates, partner merchant acceleration, redemption options, and exclusions

Reward Program Name: IRCTC CashPoints
Reward Currency: CashPoints
Base Earn Rate: 1 CashPoint per ₹100 spent on other retail transactions (1% return)
Point Value (INR): ₹1.0000 per point
Redemption Channels: Redeem CashPoints on HDFC SmartBuy for train ticket bookings at 1 CP = ₹1.00. Points validity is 2 years.
Reward Point Expiry: CashPoints are valid for 2 years from the date of accumulation.

Category Accelerated Earn RatesPublished Terms

Spend Category	Earn Rate	Reward Cap	Conditions
IRCTC Ticketing (Website / App)	5 CashPoints per ₹100 spent on train ticket bookings via IRCTC portal/app (5% return; max 1,000 CP/month)	1,000 CashPoints/mo	Standard terms apply
Other Retail Spends	1 CashPoint per ₹100 spent on all other retail transactions (1% base return)	No Cap	Standard terms apply

Featured Merchant HubsAll Merchants

IRCTC Hub

Estimate Your Custom Monthly Rewards

Calculate estimated net cashback and points across your actual spending pattern.

Open Rewards Calculator

Reward Exclusions: Fuel transactions, wallet loading, cash withdrawals, rent payments, educational payments, and government services are generally excluded from base and accelerated reward point accrual across all Indian card issuers.

Reward Calculator

Estimate Your Annual Rewards

Estimate your rewards using the card's current reward rates, monthly caps and applicable fee-waiver rules.

Verified Rates & Caps

Quick Select:

Total Monthly Spend:₹30,000 / month

₹5,000 / mo₹1 lakh / mo₹2 lakh / mo

Category Spend Allocation

Customize monthly spend in each category. Category amounts sum directly to your monthly spend.

Assumed spend distribution

IRCTC Ticketing (Website / App)5.00%

Cap: ₹1,000/monthly

₹

Other Retail Spends1.00%

No published cap

₹

Excluded / Non-Reward Spends0%

Fuel, rent, wallet, govt, cash

₹

Category / Reward Bucket	Monthly Spend	Rate	Effective Rate	Cap Period	Eligible Reward	Cap Status
IRCTC Ticketing (Website / App)	₹12,000	5 CashPoints per ₹100 spent on train ticket bookings via IRCTC portal/app (5% return; max 1,000 CP/month)	—	₹1,000/monthly	Calculating...	Under cap
Other Retail Spends	₹18,000	1 CashPoint per ₹100 spent on all other retail transactions (1% base return)	—	None	Calculating...	Under cap
Total Monthly Cashback	₹30,000	-	—	-	₹0 / mo	Zero cap loss

Annual Spends

₹3.6 lakh

12 billing cycles

Annual Capped Rewards

₹0

0% blended return

Effective Fee

-₹500

Standard renewal

Net Annual Value

+₹0 / yr

Rewards - Fee

*Calculation based on verified card reward rates, applicable monthly caps, and fee-waiver thresholds - ₹500 annual fee.

Multi-card comparator

Milestone Spend Progression

Bonus vouchers and annual fee waiver milestones unlocked as your total spend increases

Tier 1 Target

₹1.5 lakhper year

Worth ₹500

Annual Fee Waiver

Spend ₹1,50,000 or more in an anniversary year to receive a full waiver of the ₹500 annual renewal fee.

*Milestone spend calculation is tracked across eligible retail purchases within each specified billing or calendar period. Excludes cash advances, wallet loads, and EMI conversions.

Airport Lounge Access

Domestic and international lounge privileges, spend hurdles, and participating terminals

No Airport Lounge Access Included

This card is tailored primarily for shopping rewards, cashback, or specific co-branded spend and does not include complimentary airport lounge visits.

Fees & Charges

Complete breakdown of joining, renewal, forex, financing APR, and transaction charges

1. Card Membership Fees

Joining Fee (1st Year): ₹500
Annual / Renewal Fee (2nd Year Onwards): ₹500
Annual Spend Fee Waiver: Waived on ₹1.5 lakh annual spend
Fee Terms Notes: ₹500 Amazon gift voucher on first card swipe within 30 days. Renewal fee waived on ₹1,50,000 annual spend; 1% IRCTC transaction charge waiver.

2. International Spends

Foreign Currency Markup (Forex): 3.50% + GST
Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC): Standard 1% mark-up on cross-currency INR transactions where applicable

3. Borrowing & Financing

Monthly Interest Rate (Finance Charges): Refer to official schedule of charges
Annualized Interest Rate (APR): Refer to official schedule of charges
Cash Advance / ATM Withdrawal Fee: Refer to official schedule of charges
Interest-Free Period: Up to 50 Days

4. Other Charges & Taxes

Late Payment Charges: Refer to official schedule of charges

Regulatory Tax Notice: Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 18% is applicable on all card fees, interest charges, and milestone fees as mandated by the Government of India.

Verified Terms & Exclusions Summary

• Joining Fee: ₹500 + GST; Annual Renewal Fee: ₹500 + GST. • Fee Waiver: Spend ₹1,50,000 in a membership year to waive the renewal fee. • Welcome Benefit: ₹500 Amazon Gift Voucher upon card activation and initial transaction within 30 days. • Railway Rewards: 5 Reward Points per ₹100 spent on IRCTC ticketing via SmartBuy; 1 RP per ₹100 on other retail. • Surcharge Waiver: 1% transaction surcharge waiver on IRCTC ticketing portal (maximum waiver ₹50 per cycle). • Railway Lounge Access: 4 complimentary visits per year (1 per quarter) to IRCTC Executive Lounges. • RuPay UPI: Linkable to UPI apps for merchant QR payments with reward accrual.

Is the Annual Fee Worth It?

Evaluate whether this card's perks and waiver threshold justify its ₹500 renewal fee.

Calculate Fee ROI

Eligibility & Application Requirements

Income criteria, minimum age, CIBIL score benchmark, and verification checklist

Eligibility criteria not specified

Verified eligibility criteria are not currently available for this card. Check the issuer's latest terms before applying.

Mandatory Verification Documents

1. Identity ProofPAN Card (Mandatory), Aadhaar Card, Passport, or Voter ID.

2. Address ProofAadhaar (DigiLocker), Utility Bill (Electricity/Piped Gas), or Rental Agreement.

3. Income ProofLatest 3 months salary slips, Form 16, or latest 2 years ITR computation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions regarding HDFC Bank RuPay IRCTC Credit Card application, fees, reward redemption, and eligibility

Can I link my HDFC IRCTC RuPay Credit Card to UPI applications?

Yes, because the card is issued on the RuPay network, you can link it directly to UPI apps like Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, or BHIM to pay merchants by scanning QR codes.

Which railway lounges can I access with the HDFC IRCTC Credit Card?

You receive 1 complimentary access per quarter (4 per year) to participating IRCTC Executive Lounges at major railway stations including New Delhi, Agra Cantt, Jaipur, Sealdah, and Madurai.

How do I get the 1% IRCTC transaction surcharge waiver?

The 1% transaction surcharge is automatically waived when you book train tickets on the official IRCTC website (irctc.co.in) or mobile app using your HDFC IRCTC card, up to ₹50 per statement cycle.

What is the spend requirement to waive the ₹500 renewal fee?

The ₹500 annual renewal fee is waived if your cumulative retail spending reaches or exceeds ₹1,50,000 in the previous 12-month membership period.

What is the joining and annual renewal fee for HDFC Bank RuPay IRCTC Credit Card?

The joining fee for HDFC Bank RuPay IRCTC Credit Card is ₹500 (one-time), and the annual renewal fee is ₹500 from the second year onwards. GST of 18% is applicable on all fee charges.

Can the annual fee on HDFC Bank RuPay IRCTC Credit Card be waived?

Yes, the annual renewal fee of ₹500 is waived upon achieving annual spends of ₹1.5 lakh in the preceding card anniversary year.

What are the primary rewards and cashback earn rates on HDFC Bank RuPay IRCTC Credit Card?

HDFC Bank RuPay IRCTC Credit Card offers 1 CashPoint per ₹100 spent on other retail transactions (1% return). Cardholders also enjoy accelerated reward rates on partner merchants and selected digital spend categories.

Does HDFC Bank RuPay IRCTC Credit Card offer complimentary airport lounge access?

No, HDFC Bank RuPay IRCTC Credit Card is designed for daily retail, cashback, or UPI spend and does not currently include complimentary airport lounge visits.