IRCTC SBI Platinum Card – Benefits, Fees & Eligibility

Introduction

The IRCTC SBI Platinum Card, issued by SBI Card, is a specialized travel credit card designed for frequent railway travelers. Positioned as a mid-range offering, its primary differentiating benefits include significant value back on IRCTC ticket bookings, complimentary access to railway lounges, and a waiver on fuel surcharges.

Welcome Benefits

• Get 350 activation bonus Reward Points on a single transaction of Rs. 500 or more within 60 days of card issuance. Fuel and Cash spend are not included in this offer.
• Bonus Reward Points will be credited to the IRCTC SBI Platinum Card account within 45 days of the eligible transaction.
• 1 Reward Point is equivalent to ₹ 1.

Fees

• Joining Fee (one-time): Rs. 500 + GST
• Renewal Fee (per annum): Rs. 500 + GST
• Add-on Fee (per annum): Nil
• Fuel Surcharge Waiver: Enjoy a 1% fuel surcharge waiver across all petrol pumps in India on transactions between Rs. 500 and Rs. 3,000, exclusive of GST and other charges. The maximum surcharge waiver is Rs. 100 per statement cycle per credit card account.
• Railway Transaction Charges Waiver: Save 1% transaction charges, exclusive of GST and all other charges, when booking railway tickets on www.irctc.co.in using your IRCTC SBI Platinum Card. This waiver is reviewed and credited monthly based on the updated Merchant ID / Terminal ID list (applicable only on bookings made at www.irctc.co.in and not through any IRCTC partner website).
• Railway Ticket Cancellation Charge: In case of cancellation of any railway ticket booked online on www.irctc.co.in using the card, a charge of 1% of the total refund amount will be debited to your card.
• Premium SMS Charges: Applicable for services like the SBI Drop Box Locator.
• For information regarding other fees and applicable charges, refer to the Most Important Terms & Conditions.
• All taxes would be charged as applicable on all Fees, Interest & Charges.

Rewards

• Value Back on IRCTC Bookings:
  • Earn up to 10% Value Back as Reward Points when buying tickets through irctc.co.in & IRCTC Mobile App for AC1, AC2, AC3, Executive Chair car, and Chair Car.
  • Effective 26 Dec'24, the accrual of Reward Points on ticket purchases at www.irctc.com will be based on the total booking amount, including the primary cardholder’s individual fare and that of all co-travelers.
• General Reward Benefits:
  • Get 1 Reward point for every Rs. 125 spent on non-fuel retail purchases, including railway ticket purchases at www.irctc.co.in and IRCTC Mobile App (Android only).
• Milestone Benefits:
  • Earn 500 Reward Points upon payment of the Renewal fee.
• Travel Offers from IRCTC:
  • Book airline tickets with IRCTC at competitive prices.
  • Access a wide range of tailor-made packages for adventure, wildlife, pilgrimage, and leisure tours across India.
  • Avail accommodation at over 5,000 hotels, covering 350 cities in India.
• Railway Lounge Program:
  • Enjoy 4 complimentary railway lounge accesses per year to participating lounges in India, with a maximum of 1 access per quarter.
  • Complimentary access is applicable only for primary cardholders.
• Offers from Visa:
  • The IRCTC SBI Platinum Card provides various offers on travel, golf, dining, and other entertainment options from Visa. SBI Card accepts no liability for the content or consequences of these offers, as they are made on behalf of Visa.
• Contactless Advantage:
  • Make daily purchases quickly and conveniently by simply waving your card at a secure reader.
  • The card offers enhanced security as it never leaves your hand during a transaction, reducing the risk of loss and fraud. A unique security key feature ensures only one transaction goes through even if the card is waved multiple times.
• Cash on the Go:
  • Withdraw cash from over 1 million Visa ATMs worldwide, including more than 18,000 Visa ATMs in India and over 10,000 State Bank ATMs spread across 100 cities in India.
• Global Acceptance:
  • Your IRCTC SBI Platinum Card is a travel card accepted at over 29 million Visa outlets worldwide and 3,25,000 outlets in India. Look for the Visa sign to make payments.
• Empower your Family:
  • Apply for add-on cards for your children, siblings above 18 years of age, spouse, and parents at no additional annual fee.
• Easy Bill Pay Facility:
  • Utilize the Easy Bill Pay facility to ensure timely payment of electricity, insurance, telephone, and other utility bills.
• Balance Transfer on EMI:
  • Transfer the outstanding balance from other bank credit cards to your IRCTC SBI Platinum Card to avail a lower interest rate and pay back in easy monthly installments (EMIs). This can be booked via sbicard.com.
• Flexipay:
  • Convert transactions of Rs. 2,500 or more into easy monthly installments (Flexipay). This option can be availed by logging onto sbicard.com within 30 days of purchase.

Rewards Redemption Guide

• To redeem Reward Points, link your IRCTC SBI Card loyalty number with your IRCTC login ID on the IRCTC Website and Mobile App (Android only).
• Effective 01 Apr'21, Reward Points will be transferred to the cardholder’s IRCTC Loyalty Account and can be redeemed exclusively on the IRCTC Website or Mobile App (Android only).
• Reward Points will not be credited to the IRCTC loyalty account if its status is blocked, inactive, or suspended.
• 1 Reward Point is equivalent to ₹ 1.

Card Review

The IRCTC SBI Platinum Card is ideal for individuals who frequently travel by Indian Railways, particularly those who book AC class tickets online. Its strong co-branded benefits, such as up to 10% value back on IRCTC bookings and complimentary railway lounge access, make it a compelling choice for this niche.

• Pros:
  • High value back on IRCTC AC class ticket bookings.
  • Complimentary railway lounge access (4 per year).
  • Waiver of 1% transaction charges on IRCTC railway ticket bookings.
  • 1% fuel surcharge waiver.
  • Nil add-on card fee.
  • Contactless payment and global acceptance.
  • Options for Balance Transfer on EMI and Flexipay.
• Cons:
  • Annual and renewal fees apply (Rs. 500 + GST).
  • A 1% charge is levied on cancelled railway tickets booked via irctc.co.in.
  • The general reward rate for non-fuel retail purchases is relatively low (1 Reward Point for every Rs. 125 spent).
  • Reward points are primarily tied to the IRCTC loyalty program, limiting redemption flexibility.

Important Product Details

• Positive Highlights:
  • Up to 10% Value Back as Reward Points on IRCTC AC1, AC2, AC3, Executive Chair car, and Chair Car ticket bookings.
  • 4 complimentary railway lounge accesses per year (max 1 per quarter) for primary cardholders.
  • 1% transaction charge waiver on railway ticket bookings made on www.irctc.co.in.
  • 1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions between Rs. 500 - Rs. 3,000 (maximum Rs. 100 per statement cycle).
  • Nil annual fee for add-on cards.
  • Contactless payment technology for fast and secure transactions.
  • Global acceptance on the Visa network.
  • Convenient Easy Bill Pay facility.
  • Flexibility to convert large transactions into EMIs (Flexipay) and transfer outstanding balances from other credit cards (Balance Transfer on EMI).
• Negative Highlights:
  • Annual Fee and Renewal Fee of Rs. 500 + GST.
  • A 1% charge is applied to the total refund amount for cancelled railway tickets booked online via irctc.co.in.
  • Reward points for activation bonus do not include fuel and cash spends.
  • The general reward rate of 1 Reward Point for every Rs. 125 spent on non-fuel retail purchases is not very competitive.
  • Reward Points are transferred to and redeemable only through the IRCTC Loyalty Account, which must be active and unblocked.

Other Details

• The value proposition of this co-brand product may be jointly funded by SBI Card and IRCTC, with potential fee and revenue sharing arrangements.
• Continued use of the card will be deemed as acceptance of any amendments to the terms and conditions.
• For assistance, customers can call the SBI Card helpline at 1800 180 1295 (from BSNL/MTNL numbers) or 39 02 12 12 (from all other numbers; prefix your STD code if using a mobile phone).
• All information provided is subject to change at the discretion of SBICPSL.
• The Most Important Terms & Conditions are available on sbicard.com.
• Cheques payable outside clearing zones are not accepted; only local cheques or drafts payable in Delhi are accepted for payments.
• To locate the nearest SBI Card drop box, send an SMS "PIN [your 6 digit pin code]" to 56767 (Premium SMS charges apply).
• The card offers railway ticket booking services online via irctc.co.in, where users need to register, log in, and follow website instructions for reservations and payments using their Visa Card. All transactions on irctc.co.in are governed by its specific terms and conditions.
• Legal disclaimers regarding redirection to third-party sites state that SBI Card disclaims liability for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of materials, advice, opinions, statements, or other information displayed or distributed through such sites. Users access these sites at their sole risk and consequences.