The best IRCTC credit card in India in 2026 depends on how often you travel by train and how much you spend on non-railway categories. IRCTC has four official bank partners issuing five co-branded credit cards: SBI Card (two variants), HDFC Bank, Bank of Baroda, and RBL Bank. All five cards earn reward points on IRCTC train ticket bookings and waive the 1% payment gateway charge on the IRCTC platform. This comparison is based entirely on figures from the official IRCTC card comparison page at irctc.co.in.
Best IRCTC Credit Cards 2026, All 5 Compared at a Glance
| Feature | SBI Platinum | SBI Premier | BOB IRCTC | HDFC IRCTC | RBL IRCTC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joining Fee | Rs. 500 | Rs. 1,499 | Rs. 500 | Rs. 500 | Rs. 500 |
| Annual Fee | Rs. 500 | Rs. 1,499 (waived on Rs. 2L spend) | Rs. 350 | Rs. 500 | Rs. 500 |
| IRCTC Earn Rate | 10 pts/Rs. 100 | 10 pts/Rs. 100 | 10 pts/Rs. 100 | 5 pts/Rs. 100 | 5 pts/Rs. 200 |
| Other Spends | 1 pt/Rs. 125 | 3 pts/Rs. 125 (dining/utility), 1 pt/Rs. 125 others | 4 pts/Rs. 100 (grocery/departmental) | 1 pt/Rs. 100 | 3 pts/Rs. 200 (FASTag/NCMC), 1 pt/Rs. 200 others |
| Welcome Bonus | 350 pts | 1,500 pts | 500 pts | 500 pts | 500 pts |
| Point Value | Re. 1 | Re. 1 | Re. 1 | Re. 1 | Re. 1 |
| Railway Lounge | 1/quarter | 2/quarter = 8/year | 1/quarter | 2/quarter = 8/year | 2/quarter = 8/year |
| PG Waiver | 1% on train tickets | 1% train + 1.8% airline tickets | 1% on train tickets | 1% on train tickets | 1% on train tickets |
| Insurance | Fuel surcharge waiver | Air accident Rs. 50L + Rail accident Rs. 10L + Fraud cover Rs. 1L | Fuel surcharge waiver | Fuel surcharge waiver | Train cancellation protect up to Rs. 5,000 |
| Network | Visa/RuPay | Visa/RuPay | RuPay | RuPay | RuPay |
Source: Official IRCTC card comparison page at irctc.co.in. All figures verified as of September 2026.
1. IRCTC SBI Card Platinum, Best Entry-Level IRCTC Card
The IRCTC SBI Card Platinum is the entry-level option at Rs. 500 joining and annual fee. It earns 10 reward points per Rs. 100 on IRCTC train bookings and 1 point per Rs. 125 on all other non-fuel retail spends. Welcome bonus is 350 points. Railway lounge access is 1 visit per quarter. Available on both Visa and RuPay networks.
2. IRCTC SBI Card Premier, Best Overall IRCTC Card
The IRCTC SBI Card Premier is the strongest IRCTC card for frequent train and air travellers. At Rs. 1,499 fee (waived on Rs. 2 lakh annual spend), it earns 10 reward points per Rs. 100 on IRCTC train tickets, air tickets, and eCatering bookings, 3 points per Rs. 125 on dining and utility, and 1 point per Rs. 125 on all other spends. The welcome bonus of 1,500 points is the highest across all five cards. Lounge access is 2 visits per quarter (8 per year). The Premier card uniquely offers a 1.8% PG waiver on airline tickets via IRCTC, air accident cover of Rs. 50 lakh, rail accident cover of Rs. 10 lakh, and fraud liability cover of Rs. 1 lakh. For regular IRCTC users spending over Rs. 2 lakh annually, the fee waiver makes this a zero-cost premium railway card.
3. IRCTC BOB Credit Card, Lowest Annual Fee IRCTC Card
The IRCTC BOB Credit Card (Bank of Baroda) has the lowest annual fee at Rs. 350, against a Rs. 500 joining fee. It earns 10 reward points per Rs. 100 on IRCTC train bookings and 4 reward points per Rs. 100 on grocery and departmental store purchases, the highest non-railway earn rate across all five cards. Railway lounge access is 1 visit per quarter. Available exclusively on RuPay.
4. IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card, Best for Lounge Access at Rs. 500 Fee
The IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card earns 5 reward points per Rs. 100 on IRCTC train bookings and 1 point per Rs. 100 on all other eligible spends. At Rs. 500 fee (waived on Rs. 1.5 lakh annual spend, the most achievable waiver threshold across all five cards), it offers 2 railway lounge visits per quarter (8 per year). Points are redeemable at Rs. 1 per point via HDFC SmartBuy. The RuPay variant also earns points on eligible UPI transactions. This is the best Rs. 500 card for lounge access and an achievable fee waiver.
5. IRCTC RBL Bank Credit Card, Best for FASTag and NCMC Users
The IRCTC RBL Bank Credit Card earns 5 reward points per Rs. 200 on IRCTC train bookings, the lowest IRCTC earn rate in this group, but it is the only card that rewards FASTag reloads and NCMC top-ups at 3 points per Rs. 200. It also earns 2 points per Rs. 200 on air bookings via IRCTC and 1 point per Rs. 200 on all other spends. Railway lounge access is 2 visits per quarter (8 per year). The RBL card uniquely includes train cancellation protection of up to Rs. 5,000 backed by insurance. This card is on PickMyWork.
Which IRCTC Credit Card Should You Get in 2026?
| If You Want… | Best Pick | Key Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Highest earn on IRCTC train bookings, fee waiver, max lounge | IRCTC SBI Card Premier | 10 pts/Rs. 100, 8 lounges/year, fee waived at Rs. 2L |
| Lowest annual fee with 10X IRCTC earn | IRCTC BOB Credit Card | Rs. 350 annual fee, 10 pts/Rs. 100 on IRCTC |
| 8 lounge visits at Rs. 500 fee with achievable fee waiver | IRCTC HDFC Bank Card | 2 lounges/quarter, fee waived at Rs. 1.5L spend |
| Multi-mode travel, FASTag, NCMC, train, and cancellation cover | IRCTC RBL Bank Card | 3 pts/Rs. 200 on FASTag, train cancellation insurance |
| Simple, low-cost IRCTC card with no frills | IRCTC SBI Card Platinum | Rs. 500 fee, 10 pts/Rs. 100 on IRCTC, easy to use |
The Editorial View, What to Know Before Applying
All five IRCTC co-branded credit cards serve one clear use case: reducing the cost of regular Indian Railways travel. The 10% effective return on IRCTC train bookings (SBI and BOB cards) is among the highest category earn rates on any Indian credit card under Rs. 1,500 annual fee. The key limitation shared by all five: reward points are redeemable only on IRCTC bookings, not against statement credit or other spending. If you regularly book AC tier train tickets, even a Rs. 500 fee card recovers its cost within two or three bookings.
The IRCTC SBI Card Premier is the clearest recommendation for anyone spending over Rs. 2 lakh annually, the fee waiver, the 1,500-point welcome bonus, 8 lounge visits, and the airline ticket PG waiver make it the most complete IRCTC card in 2026. For those who prefer a lower fee entry point with 10X earn on train bookings, the BOB card at Rs. 350 annual fee is hard to beat. For FASTag and NCMC users who want one card for all transit spending, the RBL card is the only IRCTC option that covers that use case.
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- All Credit Cards Available on PickMyWork
Frequently Asked Questions, Best IRCTC Credit Card 2026
- Which is the best IRCTC credit card in India in 2026?
The IRCTC SBI Card Premier is the best overall IRCTC credit card in 2026 for frequent train travellers. It earns 10 reward points per Rs. 100 on IRCTC train and air bookings, offers 8 railway lounge visits per year, a Rs. 1,500-point welcome bonus, airline ticket PG waiver, and an annual fee waiver on Rs. 2 lakh annual spend. For those who want the lowest annual fee with 10X earn on train bookings, the IRCTC BOB Credit Card at Rs. 350 annual fee is the strongest alternative. - Are IRCTC credit card reward points redeemable for cash?
No. All five IRCTC co-branded credit cards, SBI Platinum, SBI Premier, BOB, HDFC, and RBL, allow reward points to be redeemed only against IRCTC train ticket bookings. Points cannot be converted to cashback, statement credit, or non-IRCTC purchases. Each reward point is worth Re. 1 on IRCTC redemption across all five cards. - Do IRCTC credit cards waive the payment gateway charge on train tickets?
Yes. All five IRCTC co-branded credit cards waive the 1% payment gateway charge on IRCTC train ticket bookings. The IRCTC SBI Card Premier additionally waives 1.8% payment gateway charges on airline ticket bookings made through IRCTC. This waiver applies only to bookings made on the IRCTC website and app. - Which IRCTC credit card is available on PickMyWork?
The IRCTC RBL Bank Credit Card is available as an active task on PickMyWork. It earns 5 reward points per Rs. 200 on IRCTC train bookings, 3 points per Rs. 200 on FASTag and NCMC reloads, provides 8 railway lounge visits per year, and includes train cancellation protection of up to Rs. 5,000 backed by insurance cover. Apply via the PickMyWork link on this page.
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