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IRCTC HDFC Bank
Joining ₹500 · Annual ₹500 · Waived on ₹1,50,000 of annual spends
Fee break-even: ≈₹2,00,000/yr through this card at its base rate. Below that, the fee eats the rewards.
Earns Reward Points · assumed 0.25 ₹/point. 1 point = ₹0.25 on redemption
Verified 13 Aug 2026Forex markup3.5%
EMI₹99 to ₹699 plus GST at a merchant, up to ₹849 plus GST converting a statement balance processing fee · HDFC's fee follows the merchant and the scheme rather than your card. Cancelling inside 7 days is free, after that pre closing costs 3% of the principal left plus GST.
Domestic loungeSelect IRCTC executive lounges rather than airports, per the card's own page
Return by category
| Category | Return | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Online spend | 0.25% | Base rate |
| Amazon | 0.25% | Base rate |
| Flipkart | 0.25% | Base rate |
| Subscriptions & OTT | 0.25% | Base rate |
| Offline spend | 0.25% | Base rate |
| UPI spending | 0% | No RuPay variant is published, so UPI linking is unavailable |
| Dining | 0.25% | Base rate |
| Swiggy | 0.25% | Base rate |
| Zomato | 0.25% | Base rate |
| Groceries | 0.25% | Base rate |
| Quick commerce | 0.25% | Base rate |
| Swiggy Instamart | 0.25% | Base rate |
| Blinkit | 0.25% | Base rate |
| BigBasket | 0.25% | Base rate |
| Movies & shows | 0.25% | Base rate |
| BookMyShow | 0.25% | Base rate |
| PVR INOX | 0.25% | Base rate |
| Fuel | 0% | Fuel earns nothing |
| Travel (general) | 0.25% | Base rate |
| Flights | 0.25% | Base rate |
| Hotels | 0.25% | Base rate |
| MakeMyTrip | 0.25% | Base rate |
| IRCTC rail | 1.25% | 5 points per ₹100 on IRCTC bookings. The SBI IRCTC card pays more in its seasonal windows, compare before choosing |
| International | −3.25% | 0.25% reward − 3.5% forex markup |
| Utilities & bills | 0.25% | Base rate |
| Rent | 0% | Rent earns nothing |
| Education fees | 0.25% | Base rate |
| Insurance premiums | 0.25% | Base rate |
| Government & tax | 0% | Government payments earn nothing |
| Wallet loads | 0% | Wallet loads earn nothing |
| Anything else | 0.25% | Base rate |
| Jewellery | 0.25% | Base rate |
Rates are the card's own published rates, before any spend profile. Add this card inMy cards to rank it against the rest of your wallet.
Also worth knowing
- Welcome: ₹1,000 of cashback across 200 plus brands via PayZapp
What we liked
- 5X points on IRCTC bookings
- Complimentary access to select IRCTC executive lounges
- ₹1,000 of brand cashback through PayZapp as a welcome
What to mind
- 1.25% effective on rail trails the SBI IRCTC card's peak windows
- 0.25% everywhere else
- No airport lounge access at all
Sources
Every figure above comes from the issuer's own pages and documents. Last verified 13 Aug 2026.