IRCTC RBL Bank Credit Card – Benefits, Fees & Eligibility

Introduction

The IRCTC RBL Bank Credit Card, issued by RBL Bank in partnership with IRCTC, is positioned as a rewarding travel and transit credit card. With a low joining cost of ₹500, it is primarily designed for individuals who frequently book through the IRCTC portal, especially for train travel, and those who regularly commute via railways, metros, and other public transport. Key differentiating benefits include a high reward rate of 2.5% on IRCTC train bookings, the convenience of a National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) for tap-and-pay public transport, and RuPay functionality for seamless UPI payments.

Welcome Benefits

• Earn 500 Reward Points on spending a minimum of ₹500 within the first 30 days of card issuance.
• These bonus reward points shall be credited within 60 days.
• The Welcome Benefit is applicable only after the annual membership fee is paid.
• Reward points can be redeemed through the IRCTC website or mobile application.

Fees

• Joining Fee: ₹500 + GST
• Annual Fee: ₹500 + GST
• Spend-Based Waiver: Not applicable.
• Rewards Redemption Fee: ₹99 + GST
• Foreign Currency Markup: 3.5%
• Interest Rates: 2.5% to 3.99% Per Month
• Fuel Surcharge Waiver: 1% surcharge waiver.
• Cash Advance Charges: 2.5% of the cash amount or a minimum of ₹500.
• IRCTC Transaction Charges Waiver: 1% waiver on transaction charges for train ticket bookings through IRCTC, for up to ₹5,000 transactions, with a maximum waiver of ₹200 per month. The transaction charges will be reflected in your next statement cycle.

Rewards

• Reward Points Earning:
  • 5 Reward Points for every ₹200 spent on train ticket bookings of all classes from the IRCTC Website or Mobile App (equivalent to a 2.5% reward rate).
  • 3 Reward Points for every ₹200 spent on FASTag Recharge from RBL Bank Digital Channels/NCMC Reload/UTS App.
  • 2 Reward Points for every ₹200 spent on flights, hotels, or cruise ticket bookings from the IRCTC Website or Mobile App.
  • 1 Reward Point for every ₹200 spent on all other eligible purchases.
• Excluded Categories for Reward Points: Purchases made under merchant categories such as Fuel & Auto, Utilities, Insurance, Quasi-Cash, Real Estate/Rental, Education, Wallets/Service Providers, Government Services, Contracted Services, Cash, Miscellaneous, Bills2Pay, and EMI conversion of retail transactions (Split-N-Pay & EMI conversion requests placed at the time of making transactions at POS/Web/Mobile App), fees (if any), charges & GST.
• Complimentary Railway Lounge Access:
  • Primary cardholders are eligible for 2 complimentary railway lounge visits each quarter, totaling up to 8 visits each year.
  • Access provides complimentary snacks, tea/coffee, and other amenities.
  • Simply swipe your card for access.
• Insurance Benefits:
  • Train Cancellation Cover up to ₹5,000 in case your train is cancelled at the last minute.
• National Common Mobility Card (NCMC):
  • The card is designed to facilitate contactless travel, allowing quick payments at metro stations, bus terminals, and other locations by simply tapping the card.
  • Includes an inbuilt offline wallet with a current maximum limit of ₹2,000.
  • Applicable at Delhi Metro (DMRC), Bangalore Metro (BMRCL), Mumbai Metro (MMRDA), and many other locations.
  • The balance in the offline wallet is separate from the available credit limit on the IRCTC RBL Credit Card.
• Credit Card on UPI (RuPay Variant):
  • As a RuPay card, it can be linked to UPI applications (e.g., Google Pay) for scan and pay transactions, offering convenience when a physical card or POS terminal is unavailable.
• Add-on Cards:
  • Add-on cards are available for loved ones.
  • Add-on Credit Card Holders will be linked to the IRCTC Loyalty number of the Primary Account Holder, and no separate IRCTC Loyalty Number will be created.
  • All reward points accrual will reflect in the Primary Credit Card holder's account, which can be redeemed only by the primary cardholder.
• 40X Value Proposition: The card offers benefits worth up to INR 20,000 annually, which is 40 times the annual fee of INR 500, through shopping, dining, travel bookings, and more.

Rewards Redemption Guide

• Redeem Reward Points directly on the IRCTC Website or Mobile App.
• 1 Reward Point is equivalent to ₹1 when redeemed on IRCTC.
• Redemption is only applicable on www.irctc.co.in and the mobile application.
• Train ticket booking using available reward points can be done with zero charges.

Card Review

• Overall Verdict: The IRCTC RBL Bank Credit Card is highly recommended for individuals who frequently book through the IRCTC official portal, particularly for train bookings, and for daily commuters utilizing public transport.
• Pros:
  • Offers a high 2.5% reward rate on train ticket bookings through IRCTC, making it very useful for frequent train travelers.
  • Incorporates the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) feature, providing tap-and-pay convenience at various metros and bus terminals.
  • Available at a low joining/annual fee of just ₹500.
  • Provides complimentary railway lounge access (8 visits per year).
  • RuPay variant allows for easy UPI payments.
• Cons:
  • Primarily a travel-focused card, offering no specific benefits in other categories such as movies or dining.
  • Offline UPI transactions under INR 2,000 done at small merchants (with a turnover of not more than INR 20 lakh during the previous financial year) are not eligible for reward points, voucher benefits, milestone benefits, or any other product benefits, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Important Product Details

• This is a co-branded credit card offered by RBL Bank and IRCTC.
• Offers 5 Reward Points/₹200 spent on train ticket bookings with IRCTC.
• Provides eight complimentary railway lounge accesses each year (maximum 2 per quarter).
• Includes train cancellation cover up to ₹5,000.
• As a RuPay card, it enables quick and easy UPI payments.
• Equipped with the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) for tap-and-pay at public transport.
• Welcome benefit of 500 Reward Points on spending ₹500 within the first 30 days.
• Offers a 1% waiver on IRCTC transaction charges (maximum ₹200 per month, for transactions up to ₹5,000).
• Reward points are not earned on specific categories including fuel, utilities, insurance, quasi-cash, real estate/rental, education, wallets/service providers, government services, contracted services, cash, miscellaneous, Bills2Pay, and EMI conversions.

Other Details

• The credit card limit will be determined based on RBL Bank’s internal criteria and will be notified through the welcome letter and monthly credit card statements.
• There is a revenue sharing arrangement between RBL Bank & IRCTC for this card.
• Bills2Pay is a facility provided by RBL Bank where Cardmembers can pay various utility bills via RBL MyBank App/Internet banking channel.
• Detailed terms and conditions, FAQs, and other legal documents are available on the RBL Bank website.
• For grievance redressal, cardholders can write to cardservices@rbl.bank.in, and contact details for the nodal officer are also available.
• Information regarding the roles and responsibilities of the co-brand partner is available online.
• A link to the RBI Sachet Portal is provided.