Save Big on Train Tickets When You Visit the Doctor

 

Save Big on Train Tickets When You Visit the Doctor : Railway Concession for Patients

Did you know that when you visit a doctor, you can get up to 100% discount on your train ticket? This is a little-known benefit offered by the Indian Railways, often referred to as the lifeline of India. Millions of people rely on these trains every day, from students to office-goers to tourists. But what you might not know is that Indian Railways provides special Concession for patients with 11 different medical conditions. For more details about the Railway Concession for Patients, please refer to the following article.

Concessions for Patients

Indian Railways provides significant discounts to patients traveling for medical treatment or check-ups. Here's a breakdown of concessions for different medical conditions:

  Cancer Patients: 

Cancer patients receive a 100% concession in sleeper class and 3AC, 75% in 2nd and 1st class, and 50% in 1st AC and 2nd AC. The patient's escort also gets the same concession percentage, but in sleeper and 3AC, the escort receives 75%.

Heart Patients, Kidney Patients, and Thalassemia Patients: 

These patients, when traveling alone or with an escort for treatment, enjoy a 75% concession in 2nd class, Sleeper Class, 1st Class, 3AC, and AC Chair Car. They receive a 50% concession in 1st AC and 2nd AC.

Haemophilia Patients: 

Sufferers of severe and moderate forms of haemophilia receive a 75% concession in 2nd class, Sleeper Class, 1st Class, 3AC, and AC Chair Car when traveling for treatment.

Non-infectious Leprosy Patients: 

These patients, traveling alone or with an escort for treatment or check-ups, receive a 75% concession in 2nd class, Sleeper Class, and 1st Class.

T.B./Lupus Vulgaris Patients: 

Traveling alone or with an escort for treatment or check-ups, they obtain a 75% concession in 2nd class, Sleeper Class, and 1st Class.

AIDS Patients: 

AIDS patients visiting other cities for treatment or check-ups at nominated ART Centres receive a 50% concession when traveling in 2nd Class.

Ostomy Patients: 

Ostomy patients traveling for any purpose receive a 50% concession in Monthly Season Tickets (MST) and Quarterly Season Tickets (QST), and the same applies to their escort.

Aplastic Anaemia and Sickle Cell Anaemia Patients: 

When traveling for treatment or check-ups at recognized hospitals by Mail/Express Trains, they get a 50% concession on basic fares of Sleeper Class, AC 2-tier, 3AC, and AC Chair Car classes.

2. Concessions for Differently-Abled Persons:

Indian Railways provides discounts ranging from 25% to 75% for four types of differently-abled persons:

Orthopaedically Handicapped/Paraplegic Persons:

 They receive a 75% railway concession in various classes, including 2nd class, Sleeper Class, 1st Class, 3AC, and AC Chair Car. In some premium trains like Rajdhani/Shatabdi, they get 25% concession in 3AC & AC Chair Car and 50% in MST & QST. The escort accompanying them also enjoys the same concession.

Mentally Disabled Persons, Blind Persons, Deaf & Dumb Persons: 

These individuals, whether traveling alone or with an escort, receive a 50% concession in 2nd class, Sleeper Class, 1st Class, and MST & QST when applicable.

Here are the revised rules for concessions on Indian Railways:

1. Indian Railways concessions are applicable when booking tickets at station ticket reservation counters. However, concessions for persons with disabilities and railway pass concessions can be availed online.

2. Concessional train fares are calculated based on Mail/Express/Passenger fare rates, regardless of the train type.

3. Passengers can only avail of one type of concession at a time.

4. Travel concessions apply for journeys covering a minimum distance of 300 kilometers.

5. Concessions are applicable only on the base fare and do not cover super-fast surcharges, reservation fees, etc. However, if concessions are allowed on Rajdhani/Shatabdi/Jan Shatabdi trains, they apply to the total fare, including catering charges.

6. Concession tickets for specific purposes, like cancer patients to hospitals, or professors to conferences, don't permit breaks in the journey unless it's a natural occurrence. If you do break your journey, you must get your ticket endorsed at that station. If you end your journey midway, surrender your ticket at that station; no refunds for the unused portion are given.

7. Passengers cannot upgrade concession tickets to a higher class by paying the fare difference.

 

8. To claim a concession on an Indian Railway ticket, the passenger must present the required certificate issued by the relevant Indian authority or organization. Documents issued by foreign entities are not valid for railway concessions.

Conclusion

Understanding these concessions and their eligibility criteria can help passengers, especially patients, differently-abled individuals save on their travel expenses and make their train journeys more convenient.  So, next time you're traveling for medical reasons in India, remember these special discounts ( Railway Concession for Patients) on train tickets. 

FAQ: Railway Concession for Patients

1. Is ticket free for cancer patients?

   Cancer patients receive a 100% concession in sleeper class and 3AC, 75% in 2nd and 1st class, and 50% in 1st AC and 2nd AC. The patient's escort also gets the same concession percentage, but in sleeper and 3AC, the escort receives 75%..

2. How many concessions are granted to passengers of Indian Railways?

 There are 53 types of concessions that were granted by IR to the general public but it's worth noting that now  the railway has discontinued 38 out of the 53 types of travel concessions that were previously available.

3. Who are Eligible for Railway Concession?

 As of now, patients who have cancer, AIDS, non-infectious leprosy, heart problem, kidney problem, thalassemia major disease, haemophilia, T.B./Lupus Vulgaris, Ostomy, Aplastic Anaemia and Sickle cell Anaemia, students, and disabled persons including Orthopaedically Handicapped/ Paraplegic persons, Blind persons, mentally disabled persons, and Deaf & Dumb are eligible for a concession on IRCTC ticket in Indian Railways.

4. What is the Status of Cancelled Rail Concessions?

 Railways canceled 38 concession categories in March 2020, including the senior citizen discount in Indian Railways. The railway provided a concession of 50% discount to female passengers aged 58 years and above and 40% to male passengers aged 60 years and above in all classes. However, the concession ban remains in place due to financial constraints caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

5. How to avail concession in Indian Railways?

 To avail of a concession in Indian Railways, you can buy a concessional ticket from the Rail Station reservation counter. There are two ways to benefit from rail travel concessions:

a) Take the concession from the station reservation center by presenting the necessary documents directly.

 b) Approach the designated Commercial officers of the Railway Area, Division, or Zonal Railway Headquarters, who will verify your eligibility and issue an authorization letter to station managers and booking officers. For some categories, you can also book concessional tickets online through the IRCTC official website or rail connect app if you have a valid photo identity card issued by the railways.

6. What is the concession for railway ticket for patients?

Indian Railways provides special concessions for patients with 11 different medical conditions. Cancer patients, non-infectious leprosy patients, heart patients, kidney patients, thalassemia major disease patients, hemophilia patients, AIDS patients, etc., can receive up to 50% to 100% concession.