HDFC Bank
IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card
Data last verified: 11 October 2026
- Joining fee₹500 + GST
- Annual fee₹500 + GST
- Reward rate1% on most spends; 5% only at partner merchants
Takes you straight to the application. We earn a commission if you are approved, and you pay nothing extra.
- Joining fee₹500 + GST
- Annual fee₹500 + GST
- Fee waiverOn ₹1,50,000 spend a year
- Forex markup3.5%
- Interest (APR)3.75% a month, 45% a year
This card earns 5 reward points per Rs 100 on train tickets booked on the IRCTC website and Rail Connect app, and 1 point per Rs 100 elsewhere. A point is worth about Rs 1, so that is roughly 5% and 1% back, capped each month. Booking IRCTC through HDFC SmartBuy gets you an extra 5% off.
The fee is ₹500 a year, waived at ₹1,50,000 of annual spend. If you book several train trips a month, the rewards on tickets alone cover the fee.
It suits regular rail travellers and families who book trains often. You get 8 IRCTC executive lounge visits a year, up to 2 a quarter. The catch is that the rewards are tied to IRCTC. If you rarely take the train, there are better everyday cards.
Best for: Regular train travellers, Families who book trains often, People who commute between cities by rail.
01IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card Rewards and Benefits
02IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card Annual Fee and Charges
- Joining fee
- ₹500 + GST
- Annual fee
- ₹500 + GST
- Spend-based waiver
- Annual fee waived on ₹1,50,000 spend in a year (rent and wallet loads not counted)
- Rewards redemption fee
- Nil
- Forex markup
- 3.5%
- Interest rate
- 3.75% a month (45% a year)
- Fuel surcharge waiver
- Yes
- Card replacement
- Not published
03What It's Worth, in Rupees
If you spend ₹20,000 a month on this card:
- ₹20,000 on everything else, earning 1%₹200
- Back each month, ₹2,400 a year₹200
- Annual fee with 18% GST (waived at this spend)₹0
- In your pocket each year₹2,400
Worked out from this card's reward rates, caps and fee in our data; a rate limited to named merchants is not counted here. Your own spending will differ: see what this card is worth at your spend.
Good for
- Travel only at IRCTC website & Rail Connect app: 5% back, up to ₹1,000 a month
- Spending ₹12,500 or more a month: the ₹590 fee is waived
- Flyers: some airport lounge visits a year
Skip it if…
- you spend less than ₹12,500 a month (₹1,50,000 a year, rent and wallet loads not counted): the ₹590 fee is then charged
- most of your spending is fuel, rent, education or wallet top-ups: those earn nothing on this card
- you rarely spend on IRCTC website & Rail Connect app: the 5% rate applies only there, everything else earns 1%
- you often pay in foreign currency: 3.5% is added to every foreign spend
- you sometimes pay only the minimum due: interest of 3.75% a month (45% a year) outweighs any reward
04Product Details
- Joining and annual fee: ₹500
- Fee waived on ₹1,50,000 spend in a year
- 5 points per ₹100 on IRCTC website and Rail Connect app
- 1 point per ₹100 on other spends
- Extra 5% off on IRCTC bookings via HDFC SmartBuy
- 8 IRCTC executive lounge visits a year, up to 2 a quarter
- UPI enabled RuPay card
05Pros and Cons
Pros
- About 5% back on train tickets
- Railway lounge access
- Extra discount through SmartBuy
- Works on UPI
Cons
- Most value is limited to IRCTC bookings
- Rewards are capped each month
- No airport lounge access
06How IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card earns Rewards
1% on most spends; 5% only at partner merchants.
| Spend category | Rate | Monthly cap | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPI payments (scan and pay) | 1% | No cap | The card's normal rate |
| Online shopping | 1% | No cap | The card's normal rate |
| Dining and food delivery | 1% | No cap | The card's normal rate |
| Groceries | 1% | No cap | The card's normal rateTerms: the base rate's terms cap this category separately; the cap is not counted |
| Travel: flights, hotels, trains | 1% | No cap | Anywhere else in the category |
| Travel: flights, hotels, trains, only at listed merchants | 5% | ₹1,000 | Only at: IRCTC website & Rail Connect app (train tickets); +5% extra via HDFC SmartBuyTerms: 5 Reward Points per ₹100 (~5%) on IRCTC rail bookings, capped 1,000 RP a month and 12,000 a year. The extra 5% via HDFC SmartBuy is itself capped at ₹1,000 a month (₹12,000 a year), and the 1% IRCTC transaction-charge waiver has its own ₹1,000 monthly ceiling. |
| Fuel | Earns nothing | - | earns nothing on this card |
| Bills and recharges | 1% | No cap | The card's normal rate |
| Rent | Earns nothing | - | earns nothing on this card |
| Insurance premiums | 1% | No cap | The card's normal rate |
| School and college fees | Earns nothing | - | earns nothing on this card |
| Wallet top-ups | Earns nothing | - | earns nothing on this card |
| Taxes and government payments | Earns nothing | - | earns nothing on this card |
| Spend abroad or in a foreign currency | 1% | No cap | The card's normal rate |
| Everything else | 1% | No cap | The card's normal rate |
Terms on the base rate. 1 Reward Point per ₹100 (~1%) on other retail spends, capped 1,000 RP a month and 12,000 a year, 1 point ≈ ₹1 on rail/SmartBuy. UPI spends carry their own 500 RP monthly sub-cap, and grocery its own 1,000 RP monthly cap.
07IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card Travel Benefits
Railway lounges: 8 visits a year. 8 complimentary IRCTC Executive Lounge visits/year (2/quarter) at select railway stations, not airport lounges. You must present a valid, unexpired train ticket at the entrance, and a ₹2 card-validation charge applies per visit. Includes a 2-hour stay an. Spending abroad carries a 3.5% forex markup; rewards on it: 1% back (the normal rate). See what it costs on your trip
Also on the card. fuel surcharge waiver, airport lounge access, milestone bonuses.
- Fuel surcharge waiver: 1% fuel surcharge waiver at fuel stations across India (standard HDFC terms; per-txn band and monthly cap apply)
- Airport lounge access: 8 complimentary IRCTC Executive Lounge visits a year (2/quarter) at select railway stations, not airport lounges. You must present a valid, unexpired train ticket at the entrance, and a ₹2 card-validation charge applies per visit. Includes a 2-hour stay and one buffet meal.
- Milestone bonuses: ₹500 gift voucher each calendar quarter on ₹30,000 of spend in that quarter, ₹2,000 a year only if you clear the bar in all four quarters
08IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card Eligibility and Documents
- Age
- 21 to 60 years
- Minimum monthly income
- ₹25,000
09Recent Changes
What HDFC Bank changed on this card recently. The facts on this page already reflect them.
| Date | Change | Before | Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 May 2026 | Reduced: Dynamic currency conversion markup raised to 1.75%Source: HDFC Bank | 1% markup | 1.75% markup |
| 1 Jul 2025 | Reduced: 1% fee added on online skill-gaming; per-transaction fee cap raisedSource: HDFC Bank | No gaming fee; category 1% fees capped at ₹3,000/txn | 1% fee on skill-gaming above ₹10,000 a month; category fee cap raised to ₹4,999/txn |
| 1 Jul 2025 | Reduced: 1% fee added on rent, wallet loads and online gamingSource: HDFC Bank | No category surcharge on rent, wallet loads or gaming | 1% on rent (cap ₹4,999 per transaction); 1% on wallet loads and on online skill-based gaming above ₹10,000 a calendar month (cap ₹4,999 a month) |
| 1 Jul 2025 | Reduced: 1% fee on utilities above Rs 50,000 and on third-party education paymentsSource: HDFC Bank | No surcharge on utility or education payments | 1% on utility spends above ₹50,000 a calendar month (cap ₹4,999 a month); 1% on education paid through third-party apps |
| 1 Jul 2025 | Reduced: Insurance reward points capped, online gaming stops earningSource: HDFC Bank | Insurance uncapped on most cards; online skill-based gaming earned points | Insurance capped at 2,000 reward points a month (5,000 on Diners Black, 10,000 on Infinia); online skill-based gaming earns nothing |
See this card's change history → · All card changes in May 2026 →
10Cards Similar to IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card
IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card is a travel card. The two below are the closest on SkyloFin; open any of them, or put them side by side.
| Feature | IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card |  Federal Scapia Credit card |  IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joining fee | ₹500 + GST | Lifetime free | Lifetime free |
| Annual fee | ₹500 + GST | Lifetime free | Lifetime free |
| Rewards | 1% on most spends; 5% only at partner merchants | 2% on most spends; 4% only at partner merchants | 0.38% base, up to 1.25% on dining |
| Domestic lounge | Not included | Unlimited | Not included |
| Forex markup | 3.5% | 0% | 0% |
| Type | Travel | Travel | Dining |
11Explore More
Card facts last verified 11 October 2026.
Card data sourced via CardAdvisor.in, India Credit Card Facts, CC BY 4.0, adapted by SkyloFin.
Never Miss Your IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card Bill
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Common Questions
Is the ₹500 fee waived?
Yes, once you spend ₹1,50,000 in a year. Below that the fee is charged.
Which lounges can I use?
IRCTC executive lounges at railway stations, 8 visits a year and up to 2 a quarter.
How much do I earn on train tickets?
5 points per ₹100 on the IRCTC website and Rail Connect app, about 5% back.
Who can apply?
Applicants aged 21 to 60 with a monthly income of about ₹25,000.
What is the joining fee for the IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card?
The joining fee is ₹500 + GST. Check the bank's page before you apply, because fees change and promotional waivers come and go.
What is the annual fee for the IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card?
The annual fee is ₹500 + GST.
Does applying through SkyloFin cost more?
No. You pay the same fees you would pay applying directly with HDFC Bank. We earn a commission from the bank when someone applies through our link, and that is how the site is funded.
SkyloFin is not a bank and does not approve applications. Fees, rewards and eligibility rules are set by the provider and can change without notice. Always read the terms on the provider's site before you apply.
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