M16S / HDFC Bank / IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card
entry · cobrand, travel, upi
IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card
The IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card costs Rs 500 a year, waived if you spend Rs 1,50,000 in a year. Its base return is 1% (1 RP per Rs 100 on other spends). The forex markup is 3.5%. Read from the issuer's documents and an aggregator on 12 Oct 2026.
- Annual fee
- Rs 500+ GST
- Fee waived at
- Rs 1,50,000annual spend
- Base return
- 1%
- Forex markup
- 3.5%
- Interest
- 3.75%a month
What changed on this card
- HDFC Bank adds 1.75% markup on INR spends at overseas merchants, May 2026
From 15 May 2026, a markup fee of 1.75% applies on all transactions in Indian currency at an international location, or at merchants located in India but registered overseas. Source: HDFC Bank, hdfc.bank.in, read 28 Oct 2026
- HDFC Bank IRCTC card moves Rs 500 voucher milestone to calendar quarters, Oct 2025
Cards issued before 1 Oct 2025 got a Rs 500 voucher every 90 days from issuance on Rs 30,000 spends. Cards issued from 1 Oct 2025 get it every calendar quarter on Rs 30,000, and all customers move to the calendar quarter from 1 Jan 2026. Source: HDFC Bank, hdfc.bank.in, read 28 Oct 2026
- HDFC Bank IRCTC card adds Rs 500 welcome voucher on lifetime free cards, Oct 2025
Lifetime free IRCTC cards issued from 1 Oct 2025 to 31 Dec 2025 get a Rs 500 welcome gift voucher on activation, with one transaction in the first 37 days. Cards issued up to 30 Sep 2025 get no welcome benefit on lifetime free or first year free cards. Source: HDFC Bank, hdfc.bank.in, read 28 Oct 2026
- HDFC Bank IRCTC card raises fee cap to Rs 4,999, utility on monthly basis, Jul 2025
From 1 Jul 2025 the maximum 1% charge on rent, fuel, education and utility rises from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,999. Utility is charged at 1% on cumulative monthly spends above Rs 50,000 instead of per transaction. Source: HDFC Bank, hdfc.bank.in, read 28 Oct 2026
- HDFC Bank adds 1% fee on wallet loads and gaming above Rs 10,000, Jul 2025
A 1% fee applies on wallet loading (excluding PayZapp) and on online skill-based gaming spends above Rs 10,000 in a calendar month. Each fee is capped at Rs 4,999 per month. Source: HDFC Bank, hdfc.bank.in, read 28 Oct 2026
- HDFC Bank stops rewards on online skill-based gaming from Jul 2025
Online skill-based gaming transactions no longer earn Reward Points or CashPoints on any HDFC Bank credit card from 1 July 2025. Source: HDFC Bank, hdfc.bank.in, read 28 Oct 2026
- HDFC Bank caps insurance reward points per month from Jul 2025
Reward Points on insurance transactions are capped at 10,000 a month for Infinia and Infinia (Metal Edition), 5,000 a month for Diners Black Metal Edition and Diners Black, and 2,000 a month for all other credit cards. Source: HDFC Bank, hdfc.bank.in, read 28 Oct 2026
- HDFC Bank caps utility and telecom Reward Points at 2,000 a month, Sep 2024
From 1 Sep 2024 Reward Points earned on utility transactions are capped at 2,000 per calendar month, and Reward Points earned on telecom transactions are capped at 2,000 per calendar month. Millennia, UPI, Swiggy, Paytm and a few other cards keep their own product feature caps. Source: HDFC Bank, hdfc.bank.in, read 28 Oct 2026
- HDFC Bank stops rewards on education paid via third party apps, Sep 2024
From 1 Sep 2024 education payments made through third party apps such as CRED, Cheq and MobiKwik earn no Reward Points, and points already earned there are reversed. Payments made directly to schools and colleges are not covered by this line. Source: HDFC Bank, hdfc.bank.in, read 28 Oct 2026
Each change is read from the bank's own notice or terms document, linked above. Every card's changes are on the change log.
Fees
| Joining fee | Rs 500 |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | Rs 500 |
| Annual spend that waives the fee | Rs 1,50,000 |
| Fee notes | Joining Rs 500 + taxes, renewal Rs 500 + taxes. Renewal fee waived on Rs 1.5 lakh spend in the anniversary year (product page). |
Rewards
| Welcome benefit | Rs 500 gift voucher on 1 transaction of any amount within 37 days of card issuance |
|---|---|
| Reward currency | Reward Points |
| Base earn | 1 RP per Rs 100 on other spends |
| Base return | 1% |
| Point value | 1 RP = Re 1, redeemable only against train tickets booked via HDFC Bank SmartBuy; up to 70% of the fare; min 100 points |
| Accelerated earn | 5 RP per Rs 100 on the IRCTC ticketing website and Rail Connect app; additional 5% cashback on train tickets booked via HDFC Bank SmartBuy |
| Caps | 5 RP on IRCTC capped at 1,000 RP per month and 12,000 a year; SmartBuy 5% cashback capped at Rs 1,000 per month and Rs 12,000 a year (product page). UPI 500 RP/month; 25,000 RP per statement cycle on other categories (MITC) |
| Spends that earn nothing | Fuel, wallet loads, gift/prepaid card loads, voucher purchases, cash advances, payment of outstanding balances, card fees and charges, government, education, rent, Smart EMI / Dial-an-EMI, interest on merchant EMI |
| Points expiry | 2 years from date of earning |
| Milestone benefits | Rs 500 gift voucher on Rs 30,000 spend in every calendar quarter (from 1 Jan 2026 for all cards) |
| Reward notes | Redemption fee Rs 99 + GST per redemption (product page). Points are not transferable. base_return_pct = 1 RP per Rs 100 x Re 1 = 1%, usable only for train tickets; both figures from the product page. |
Travel and perks
| Domestic lounge | 8 IRCTC Executive Lounge visits a year (max 2 per quarter) at railway stations; no airport lounge |
|---|---|
| International lounge | None |
| Lounge conditions | Rs 2 non-refundable validation charge per visit; visits beyond the quarterly quota are chargeable |
| Forex markupunverified | 3.5% |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1% on txns Rs 400-5,000, cap Rs 250 per statement cycle |
| Other freebies | 1% transaction charge waived on IRCTC website and Rail Connect app bookings (cap Rs 1,000/month per MITC); up to Rs 1,000 cashback on 200+ brands via PayZapp |
Charges and eligibility
| Interest per month | 3.75% |
|---|---|
| Late payment fee | On outstanding balance: up to Rs 100 nil; 101-500 Rs 100; 501-1,000 Rs 500; 1,001-5,000 Rs 600; 5,001-10,000 Rs 750; 10,001-25,000 Rs 900; 25,001-50,000 Rs 1,100; above 50,000 Rs 1,300 (MITC) |
| Cash advance fee | 2.5% of amount, min Rs 500 |
| Eligibility | Salaried: age 21-60, income Rs 12,000 a month. Self-employed: age 21-65, ITR above Rs 6 lakh a year |
| Fine-print notes | Points are worth Re 1 only against train tickets on SmartBuy and each redemption costs Rs 99 + GST. Product page read 2026-10-12; forex markup is not stated on it (the page only says international use 'may attract additional charges'). Conflicts with earlier data (issuer page used): welcome_benefit: earlier data said activation within 30 days; page says 1 transaction within 37 days. Bank-wide charges per MITC: 1% fee on rent payments (cap Rs 4,999/txn); 1% on utility spends above Rs 50,000/month (Rs 75,000 on business cards); 1% on wallet loads above Rs 10,000/month (PayZapp exempt); 1% on fuel spends above Rs 15,000/month (Rs 30,000 business); 1% on online skill gaming above Rs 10,000/month; 1% on education paid via third-party apps; 1% + GST on railway tickets; 1.75% markup on INR transactions at overseas merchants from 15 May 2026. Points lapse if the card is unused for 365 days. |
Questions
- What is the annual fee of the IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card?
- Rs 500 a year, before GST. It is waived if you spend Rs 1,50,000 in a year.
- Does the IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card give airport lounge access?
- Yes. In India: 8 IRCTC Executive Lounge visits a year (max 2 per quarter) at railway stations; no airport lounge. Outside India: none listed. Conditions: Rs 2 non-refundable validation charge per visit; visits beyond the quarterly quota are chargeable
- What is the forex markup on the IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card?
- 3.5% of each foreign-currency transaction, before GST.
- Which spends earn no rewards on the IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card?
- Fuel, wallet loads, gift/prepaid card loads, voucher purchases, cash advances, payment of outstanding balances, card fees and charges, government, education, rent, Smart EMI / Dial-an-EMI, interest on merchant EMI