IRCTC SBI Co-Branded Credit Cards are some of the most popular offerings by SBI Card, especially amongst those who travel regularly through Indian Railways. These cards offer savings and privileges for rail travel throughout the country. SBI Card has introduced some changes to these cards, which shall come into effect from the 26th of December 2024. These changes can be considered both positive and negative but do not generally affect the benefits offered by the two IRCTC SBI Credit Cards – IRCTC RuPay SBI Credit Card and IRCTC SBI Card Premier.
It is essential to be aware of all the new features of your credit cards, as changes can either add value to the card or reduce it. Those with SBI IRCTC Credit Cards should carefully consider the points outlined below.
- The renewal fee for the IRCTC SBI Platinum Credit Card (both Visa and RuPay variants) will be ₹500 plus GST. Upon payment of the annual fee, 500 Reward Points will be credited to the cardholder’s account (1 Reward Point = ₹1). Earlier, the card came with a renewal fee of ₹300 + GST.
- Reward Points earned for ticket purchases through IRCTC will be based on the total booking amount, which includes the primary cardholder’s individual fare as well as the fares of any other passengers.
- Please note that the Reward Points accumulated with the IRCTC SBI Credit Cards will now expire after a period of two years.
Bottom Line
SBI Card offers two co-branded credit cards in association with IRCTC. These cards are simple offerings that provide benefits to those who travel by rail. One can earn reward points on their travel spending while also enjoying privileges such as complimentary railway lounge access with these cards.
The new changes that have been introduced for these cards and shall come into effect from 26th December 2024 do not affect the core structure of the card and, as such, cannot be considered a revaluation or devaluation of the cards. At the same time, cardholders need to be aware of some changes that have been introduced to the cards. For example, the IRCTC SBI Credit Card earlier used to have a renewal charge of ₹300 + GST, which has now been increased to ₹500 + GST.