RailMadad: Railway Complaint & Refund 2026

Reviewed on: 2026-06-19.

Keep these items ready before you start so the form does not time out mid-filing:

• PNR (10 digits) for reserved travel, or UTS number (11 digits) for unreserved travel
• Train number and boarding station (auto-filled from PNR on the form, but have it to hand)
• Incident date -you can log complaints only for incidents that happened within approximately the last 5 days; older incidents cannot be registered on the train-complaint form
• Your registered mobile number (OTP will arrive on it)
• Evidence file if available: photo, video, or PDF up to 5 MB (JPG, JPEG, PNG, MP4, PDF accepted)
• Complaint description typed out in advance so you can paste it -the portal has a 20-second voice-input option but typed text is more reliable

If you are a guest user (no account), the portal lets you file with OTP authentication only on your mobile number, without creating a full account.

1. Go to railmadad.indianrailways.gov.in and click “Train Complaints” on the home screen. Log in or choose “Guest User” and authenticate with an OTP sent to your mobile.
2. Enter your PNR or UTS number. The form auto-populates your journey details -train number, from/to stations, boarding station, berth, class, and date. Verify these before proceeding.
3. Describe the incident, then choose Type and Sub-type. The portal uses an AI-assisted category detector: type your complaint in plain language, click “Proceed,” and it suggests the correct Type and Sub-type. You can override the suggestion manually. Select the incident date and time, attach a file if you have one, and click Submit.
4. Save your reference number. After submission, a unique reference number appears on screen and is sent by SMS. Use it to track status under “Track your Concern” on the same portal.

The portal currently lists these types for on-train complaints. Each has specific sub-types:

For miscellaneous, the portal itself warns: “Choose Miscellaneous only if your complaint does not fall in any of the categories mentioned above.”

Click “Station Complaints” on the RailMadad home page. Station complaints do not require a PNR. You authenticate with OTP, select the station from the dropdown, describe the problem, and choose the category. Station complaint sub-types include: Toilet, Platform, Waiting Room / Retiring Room, Station Entrance / Building, Stalls, and Others.

No PNR or train number is needed for station complaints. The incident date and a description are mandatory.

If Indian Railways owes you a refund (for example, on a cancelled train or a ticket you surrendered) and the amount has not been credited, file under Refund of Tickets on RailMadad. Sub-types are Counter Ticket, Online Ticket, and Others.

RailMadad is the channel for a grievance about a refund not received. The actual refund process for online tickets -TDR (Ticket Deposit Receipt) filing -takes place on IRCTC's website (irctc.co.in), not on RailMadad. If your IRCTC refund is delayed after TDR processing, that delay is what you escalate through RailMadad or CPGRAMS.

1. Open railmadad.indianrailways.gov.in
2. Click “Track your Concern”
3. Enter your reference number and submit
4. The portal shows: Registration details, Type, Sub-type, current Status, Closing Remarks, ATR (Action Taken Report) Remarks, and any attachments in reply

If the status shows “Closed” but you are unsatisfied with the action, escalate -do not re-file the same complaint as a new one.

Helpline 139 is the integrated rail helpline number. The RailMadad portal labels it specifically for “Security / Medical Assistance.” For a general railway enquiry, 139 also handles PNR status, train arrival/departure, and reservation enquiry services, though the portal's own labelling on the complaint page is limited to security and medical emergencies.

A WhatsApp chatbot is listed on the portal for complaint filing. The number displayed on the portal is 7982139139. This is an AI chatbot service integrated into RailMadad -it is not a direct helpline to a railway officer.

The portal is also available in 24 Indian languages. Select your language from the dropdown on the home page before logging in.

RailMadad does not publish a fixed resolution deadline. If your complaint is marked closed but your problem is unresolved, or if you receive no substantive response, take the following steps in order:

1. Rate the response on the portal -this is the first formal signal of dissatisfaction
2. File on CPGRAMS at pgportal.gov.in, selecting “Ministry of Railways” as the ministry. CPGRAMS has a 21-day resolution norm and a formal appeal mechanism. See our CPGRAMS filing guide for the step-by-step process
3. Write to the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of the railway division where the incident occurred, or to the Zonal Railway headquarters. The DRM's address is displayed at major stations and available on the Indian Railways website
4. Approach a consumer forum if the deficiency in service caused you financial loss. Read your consumer rights and how to file on eDaakhil for this option
5. File an RTI application (see section below) to extract the information needed before deciding on a formal legal step

If your complaint involves a foreign citizen or a passport-related travel issue on an Indian train, note that the process is the same -RailMadad, then CPGRAMS. Unrelated passport issues go through the Passport Seva grievance channel.

File an RTI to: the Divisional Railway Manager / Zonal Railway (a public authority)

• What is the current status and action taken on complaint reference number [your reference number]?
• Which officer is responsible for redressal of this complaint, and what is the designated response time for this category?
• What is the date on which the ATR (Action Taken Report) was recorded, and what action was recommended?
• How many complaints of type “Refund of Tickets” were filed in [your division] in the last 12 months, and what percentage were resolved within 30 days?
• What is the sanctioned norm versus actual average time for disposal of RailMadad complaints in this division for the current financial year?

→ Use our free AI RTI Drafter to generate a complete Section 6(1) application.

No. You can use the “Guest User” option and authenticate only with an OTP on your mobile number. However, a registered account lets you view your full complaint history.

For train complaints, a PNR or UTS number is required because the system auto-verifies your journey details. For station complaints, no PNR is needed -only your mobile number, the station name, and a description.

RailMadad handles complaints about refunds not received, not the refund itself. To claim a refund for an online ticket, file a TDR (Ticket Deposit Receipt) on IRCTC's website first. If the refund is delayed after TDR processing, raise a “Refund of Tickets” complaint on RailMadad with the transaction reference number.

Rate the response as poor on the portal. Then escalate to CPGRAMS (pgportal.gov.in) under Ministry of Railways. CPGRAMS has a binding 21-day resolution norm and a formal appeal if you remain unsatisfied after the first resolution.

The RailMadad portal labels 139 for “Security / Medical Assistance” on the complaint home page. It is the integrated rail helpline and also handles PNR status and enquiry calls. For a non-emergency complaint, filing on the RailMadad portal gives you a written reference number and a trackable record, which a phone call to 139 does not.

Yes. The complaint form accepts MP4 video files in addition to JPG, JPEG, PNG, and PDF. The size limit is 5 MB per file.

The train-complaint form restricts the incident date to approximately the last 5 days (the date picker does not allow earlier dates). For older incidents, you may still be able to file through CPGRAMS or write directly to the Divisional Railway Manager with a dated complaint letter.

Yes. Use “Station Complaints” and select “Stalls” as the sub-type, or use “Catering and Vending Services” under Train Complaints if the vendor was on the train. Include the stall name or booth number if known.

• RailMadad official portal: railmadad.indianrailways.gov.in
• Train complaint form (verified live): railmadad.indianrailways.gov.in/madad/final/ComplaintOnTrain.jsp
• Station complaint form (verified live): railmadad.indianrailways.gov.in/madad/final/ComplaintOnStation.jsp
• Complaint status tracker (verified live): railmadad.indianrailways.gov.in/madad/final/TrackComplaint.jsp

By Dr. Shrawan Kumar Pathak