HDFC Bank RuPay IRCTC Credit Card – Benefits, Fees & Eligibility

HDFC Bank RuPay IRCTC Credit Card

Introduction

The HDFC Bank RuPay IRCTC Credit Card is a co-branded travel card designed for frequent railway travelers, offering a range of benefits for train bookings and beyond. It comes with a joining and annual membership fee of ₹500 (plus applicable taxes), which can be waived by meeting specific spending criteria. Cardholders can earn accelerated Reward Points on IRCTC spends, enjoy complimentary access to IRCTC Executive Lounges, and avail various other perks, making train travel more rewarding and convenient.

Welcome Benefits

• An Amazon voucher worth ₹500 as a welcome benefit.
• A welcome gift voucher worth INR 500 is provided upon card activation by performing at least one transaction of any amount within the first 37 days of card issuance.
• The Amazon voucher is offered if the card is activated and the first transaction is made within the first 30 days of the card's issuance.

Fees

• Joining Fee: Rs. 500 + Applicable Taxes (GST).
  • This fee will be levied 120 days from the card issuance date.
  • For cards issued post 2nd June'25, the joining fee will be levied 45 days from the card issuance date.
• Renewal Fee: Rs. 500 + Applicable Taxes (GST).
  • This fee will be levied on the card anniversary date.
• Spend-Based Waiver: The renewal fee is waived off if you spend INR 1,50,000 or more in an anniversary year, before your Credit Card renewal date.
• Rewards Redemption Fee: ₹99 + GST.
• Foreign Currency Markup: 3.5% of the total transacted amount.
• Interest Rates: 3.75% Per Month (45% Annually) on revolving credit.
• Fuel Surcharge: 1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations across India.
  • This waiver is applicable on a minimum transaction of INR 400 and a maximum transaction of INR 5,000.
  • The maximum waiver is capped at INR 250 per statement cycle.
• Cash Advance Charges: 2.5% of the cash amount withdrawn or Rs. 500, whichever is higher.

Rewards

• Reward Type: HDFC Bank Reward Points.
• IRCTC Spends:
  • Earn 5 Reward Points for every INR 100 spent on the IRCTC ticketing website and Rail Connect App.
  • Accelerated Reward Points earning is capped at 1,000 Reward Points each month, with a maximum of 12,000 Reward Points each year.
  • An additional 5% cashback can be earned on train ticket bookings via HDFC Bank SmartBuy, capped at ₹1,000 monthly.
  • Receive a 1% transaction charges waiver on transactions done on the IRCTC ticketing website and Rail Connect App, with a maximum waiver of INR 1,000 per statement cycle.
  • The transaction charge waiver for railway bookings applies to transactions between ₹400 and ₹5,000.
• Other Spends: Earn 1 Reward Point for every INR 100 spent on all other retail purchases.
• Lounge Access:
  • Enjoy 8 complimentary accesses to select IRCTC Executive Lounges every year, with a limit of 2 accesses per quarter.
  • This card does not offer complimentary airport lounge access.
• Milestone Benefits:
  • For cards issued till 30th Sep'25: Receive a gift voucher worth INR 500 on quarterly (every 90 days from the issuance date) spends of INR 30,000 or more.
  • For cards issued from 1st Oct'25 onwards: Receive a gift voucher worth INR 500 every calendar quarter on spends of INR 30,000 or more.
• UPI Spends:
  • A maximum of 500 reward points can be earned in a calendar month on UPI spends through the IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card.
• Exclusions: No Reward Points are earned for fuel purchases, wallet loads, gift or prepaid card loads, voucher purchases, cash advances, government-related transactions, education-related expenses, or rental transactions.

Rewards Redemption Guide

• Reward Points can be redeemed against train ticket bookings via HDFC Bank SmartBuy, where 1 Reward Point equals INR 1.
• Reward Points will lapse on expiry of two years from their date of issuance.
• Redemption can be made only against 70% of the fare ticket amount on train ticket bookings via HDFC Bank SmartBuy, inclusive of fares of all passengers and service charges levied by IRCTC.
• Reward Points can exclusively be used for redemption against train ticket bookings via HDFC Bank SmartBuy for maximum value.
• A minimum of 100 points is required to redeem rewards.
• For redemption against flight/hotel bookings through IRCTC and other options, including cashback, 1 Cash Point equals ₹0.30.

Card Eligibility Criteria

• For Salaried Individuals:
  • Must be an Indian national.
  • Age: Minimum 21 years & Maximum 60 years.
  • Income: Gross Monthly Income must be greater than ₹15,000.
• For Self-Employed Individuals:
  • Must be an Indian national.
  • Age: Minimum 21 years & Maximum 65 years.
  • Income: Income Tax Return (ITR) must be greater than ₹6.0 Lakhs per annum.
• Applicants should generally be self-employed or salaried with a stable monthly income.

Card Review

The HDFC Bank RuPay IRCTC Credit Card is an excellent choice for individuals who frequently travel by railways for business or leisure. Its primary appeal lies in the premium access to IRCTC Executive Lounges, providing 8 complimentary visits in a calendar year (2 per quarter), which significantly enhances the comfort of train travel. The card offers an accelerated earning of 5X Reward Points on IRCTC Rail Bookings and an additional 5% cashback on train ticket purchases through HDFC SmartBuy, making it highly rewarding for its target audience. While it has a nominal joining charge of ₹500 + GST, this fee is typically offset by the valuable welcome benefits received. Potential drawbacks include a minimum 100-point limit for reward redemption and the restriction that reward points offer the best value when used exclusively for train ticket purchases on the HDFC SmartBuy platform. Despite these minor limitations, the card delivers substantial value and benefits for dedicated railway travelers.

Important Product Details

• Positive Highlights:
  • Provides an Amazon voucher worth ₹500 as a welcome benefit.
  • Offers 5X Reward Points on IRCTC spends and 1 Reward Point for every ₹100 spent on retail purchases.
  • Includes complimentary railway lounge access (8 per year, 2 per quarter).
  • Allows for a spend-based waiver of the annual renewal fee.
  • Features a 1% fuel surcharge waiver, capped at ₹250 per statement cycle.
  • Grants an additional 5% cashback on train ticket bookings via HDFC SmartBuy.
  • Provides a 1% transaction charges waiver on IRCTC bookings, with a maximum waiver of ₹1,000 per statement cycle.
  • Milestone benefits include gift vouchers worth ₹500 on quarterly spends of ₹30,000 or more.
  • UPI enabled for payments, with a specific cap on reward points for UPI spends.
  • Offers an interest-free credit period of up to 50 days.
• Negative Highlights:
  • A minimum of 100 points is required for reward redemption.
  • Reward points can only be used to purchase train tickets on the HDFC SmartBuy platform for maximum value (1:1). Other redemption options have a significantly lower value (1:0.30).
  • A Rewards Redemption Fee of ₹99 + GST applies.
  • Features a high Foreign Currency Markup of 3.5%.
  • Carries a high interest rate of 3.75% per month (45% annually) for revolving credit.

Other Details

• Best Suited For: Travel.
• Interest Free Credit Period: Up to 50 days of interest-free period on your HDFC Bank Rupay IRCTC Credit Card from the date of purchase (subject to the submission of the charge by the Merchant).
• Revolving Credit: Available at a nominal interest rate. Please refer to the Fees and Charges section for more details.
• Smart EMI: The IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card comes with an option to convert your big spends into EMI after purchase.
• Contactless Payment: The IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card is enabled for contactless payments, facilitating fast, convenient, and secure payments at retail outlets.
  • In India, payment through contactless mode is allowed for a maximum of INR 5000 for a single transaction where you are not asked to input your Credit Card PIN.
  • However, if the amount is higher than or equal to INR 5000, the Card holder has to enter the Credit Card PIN for security reasons.
• Credit Card on UPI: The IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit card is enabled for linking UPI.
  • Currently, you can link your IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card in select UPI apps only, including PayZapp, Google Pay, PhonePe, Mobikwik, PayTM, BHIM, and Slice.
  • A maximum of 500 reward points can be earned in a calendar month on UPI spends through the IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card.