• Hey there! Welcome to TFC! View fewer ads on the website just by signing up on TF Community.

HDFC Bank IRCTC Credit Card Launched | TechnoFino Review

Recently, the HDFC Bank IRCTC credit card was added to the list of HDFC Bank credit cards. HDFC Bank has now officially launched the co-branded IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card.
Let's explore the card.

hdfc irctc technofino.jpg

Joining Fees- 500+GST
Annual Fees- 500+GST
Annual Fees Reversal Criteria- Spend Rs. 1,50,000 or more in a year

Welcome benefit- Gift Voucher worth INR 500 on card activation within 30 days of card issuance.

Main Benefits-
  • 8 complimentary access to select IRCTC Executive Lounges every year (2 per quarter).
  • 1% Transaction charges waiver on transactions done on IRCTC ticketing website and Rail Connect App.
    Maximum waiver of INR 1,000 per statement cycle.
  • 1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations across India, on minimum transaction of INR 400 & maximum transaction of INR 5,000.
    Maximum waiver of INR 250 per statement cycle
  • The IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card is enabled for linking to UPI.
Reward System-
  • 5 Reward Point for every INR 100 spent on IRCTC ticketing website and Rail Connect App.
    The accrual of the 5X HDFC Bank Reward Points on partner IRCTC spends is capped maximum at 1000 Reward Points per month and 12000 Reward Points Annually.
    That means if you spend 20,000 on IRCTC, then you'll earn maximum reward points 1000 per month.

  • If you book rail ticket via HDFC Bank SmartBuy, then you'll get additional 5% cashback.
  • You'll get upto 5% cashback for all transactions done on HDFC Smartbuy portal (other than rail ticket booking).
  • Smartbuy cashback maximum capping - Rs. 1000 per month.

  • 1 Reward Point for every INR 100 spent on all other spends .
    The accrual of the HDFC Bank Reward Points on all other spends is capped maximum at 1000 Reward Points per month and 12000 Reward Points Annually.
    That means if you spend 1L on other categories, then you'll earn maximum reward points 1000 per month.

  • Reward Points will not be accrued for the following spend on the card- Fuel Spends, Wallet loads / Gift or Prepaid Card load/ Voucher purchase, Government related transactions, Education, EMI, Rent
Quarterly Milestone Benefit- Get gift voucher worth INR 500 on quarterly spends of INR 30,000

Eligibility Criteria-
Indian Resident
Age - Min 21 & Max 60 (Salaried), 65 (Self Employed)
Income- 25,000/month (Salaried); 6L ITR (Self employed)

My Opinion:-
Undoubtedly, the HDFC Bank IRCTC Credit Card is one of the top IRCTC co-branded credit cards in the market. Unlike other IRCTC credit cards, such as the SBI IRCTC credit card, this card does not have a ticket class capping. The capping on the maximum reward points accrual is reasonable. Therefore, I believe that this is the ideal IRCTC credit card for frequent or moderate railway travelers.
 
Whoever owns HDFC IRCTC card, do they have other cards? I have Millennia, Neu Infinity, Swiggy, UPI RuPay and Pixel. Do you think the bank will give IRCTC card? I read in that thread that approval/escalation is needed but I doubt HDFC will give
 
Last edited:
This card approved for my mom as her first ever credit card. Did it work for any discount offers in 2025 sales? Otherwise I will flip it after 6 months to MoneyBack+ or a core card that works for discounts
 
This card approved for my mom as her first ever credit card. Did it work for any discount offers in 2025 sales? Otherwise I will flip it after 6 months to MoneyBack+ or a core card that works for discounts
discount offers of what? flipkart, amazon?

i have used the hdfc irctc credit card once in flipkart in january and once for samsung offline store in october and got the discount.
unless it is specified co branded card is not eligible, this card gets all discounts which the other hdfc credit cards get.
 
discount offers of what? flipkart, amazon?

i have used the hdfc irctc credit card once in flipkart in january and once for samsung offline store in october and got the discount.
unless it is specified co branded card is not eligible, this card gets all discounts which the other hdfc credit cards get.
Yes FK and AZ discounts or any other website in that sale period e.g. ClearTrip, Reliance Digital, offline POS machine discounts etc. The thing is for core cards, all discounts are applicable whereas for such cobranded cards, certain sales are excluded - where Tata Neu card, Swiggy HDFC, IRCTC, PhonePe HDFC, Shoppers Stop etc don't work. I know they work in some sales because my Neu and Swiggy have worked in some.
 
MINIMUM REWARDS
HDFC
10% consistency is not achievable at all times.
5 Reward Point for every INR 100 spent is achieved always including tatkal and for all persons and for all classes.
Booking via smartbuy for additional benefit(cashback) is not possible during first 30 minutes of TATKAL and first 30 minutes of GENERAL quota (opening 60days earlier). IRCTC doesnt allow booking through other platforms during those times. At times, smartbuy website may fail(once in a month)

SBI
only 4 Reward Points for every Rs. 100 spent. Reward Points can be earned on 1st Class AC, 2nd Class AC, 3rd Class AC, Executive Chair Car and AC Chair Car travel only. Reward Points are not earned on 3E and SL Class tickets.
W.e.f. 26 Dec'24, the accrual of Reward Points on ticket purchases at www.irctc.com will be basis the booking amount i.e the value of the Primary Cardholder’s individual fare as well as that of all other co-travelers.
It is mandatory for the cardholder to be one of the passengers on the ticket to earn Reward Points.

BOB is similar to SBI that it is limited for AC CLASS only and same amount of reward points.
BOB is even worse than SBI that the Reward points are Applicable only on the fare of the Primary Cardholder/s and not on the fare of the entire ticket. The Primary Cardholder will have to mandatorily be one of the passengers listed on the railway ticket.

MAXIMUM REWARDS
HDFC- 5 reward points for every Rs100 and 5% cashback is achieved for train ticket bookings at smartbuy for all class and persons except first 30 minutes of TATKAL and first 30 minutes of GENERAL quota (opening 60days earlier)

SBI
10 Reward Points for every Rs. 100 spent is ONLY Valid on tickets with Date of Travel between January 15 - March 31 (76 days) and July 15 - September
15 (63days) . Totally 139days, 4.6months of an year.

BOB gives same amount of rewards as SBI and is similar to SBI with respect to dates 15 Jan – 31 Mar and 15 July – 15 Sep.

HDFC has rewards redemption fee of Rs99+GST which amounts to Rs 118 for each successful redemption. Also only 70% of ticket fare can be redeemed from rewards
So 10% consistency is not possible even if only smartbuy is used to book train tickets due to redemption fee of Rs 118.

I agree to good benefits of Gift voucher worth INR 500 for quarterly milestsone by spending 30k and 1 Reward Point for every INR 100 spent on all other spends

Additional info- HDFC smartbuy doesnt charge 1% transaction fee for train tickets purchased with IRCTC credit card but gives 1% transaction fee as cashback. so it can be said 6% is given as cashback. The moment HDFC smartbuy finds this glitch they may set the system right by charging 1% transaction fee
 
Last edited:
MINIMUM REWARDS
HDFC
10% consistency is not achievable at all times.
5 Reward Point for every INR 100 spent is achieved always including tatkal and for all persons and for all classes.
Booking via smartbuy for additional benefit(cashback) is not possible during first 30 minutes of TATKAL and first 30 minutes of GENERAL quota (opening 60days earlier). IRCTC doesnt booking through other platforms during those times. At times, smartbuy website may fail(once in a month)

SBI
only 4 Reward Points for every Rs. 100 spent. Reward Points can be earned on 1st Class AC, 2nd Class AC, 3rd Class AC, Executive Chair Car and AC Chair Car travel only. Reward Points are not earned on 3E and SL Class tickets.
W.e.f. 26 Dec'24, the accrual of Reward Points on ticket purchases at www.irctc.com will be basis the booking amount i.e the value of the Primary Cardholder’s individual fare as well as that of all other co-travelers.
It is mandatory for the cardholder to be one of the passengers on the ticket to earn Reward Points.

BOB is similar to SBI that it is limited for AC CLASS only and same amount of reward points.
BOB is even worse than SBI that the Reward points are Applicable only on the fare of the Primary Cardholder/s and not on the fare of the entire ticket. The Primary Cardholder will have to mandatorily be one of the passengers listed on the railway ticket.

MAXIMUM REWARDS
HDFC- 5 reward points for every Rs100 and 5% cashback is achieved for train ticket bookings at smartbuy for all class and persons except first 30 minutes of TATKAL and first 30 minutes of GENERAL quota (opening 60days earlier)

SBI
10 Reward Points for every Rs. 100 spent is ONLY Valid on tickets with Date of Travel between January 15 - March 31 (76 days) and July 15 - September
15 (63days) . Totally 139days, 4.6months of an year.

BOB gives same amount of rewards as SBI and is similar to SBI with respect to dates 15 Jan – 31 Mar and 15 July – 15 Sep.

HDFC has rewards redemption fee of Rs99+GST which amounts to Rs 118 for each successful redemption. Also only 70% of ticket fare can be redeemed from rewards
So 10% consistency is not possible even if only smartbuy is used to book train tickets due to redemption fee of Rs 118.

I agree to good benefits of Gift voucher worth INR 500 for quarterly milestsone by spending 30k and 1 Reward Point for every INR 100 spent on all other spends

Additional info- HDFC smartbuy doesnt charge 1% transaction fee for train tickets purchased with IRCTC credit card but gives 1% transaction fee as cashback. so it can be said 6% is given as cashback. The moment HDFC smartbuy finds this glitch they may set the system right by charging 1% transaction fee
saare raaz khol doo tum bhai...

1760852075526.webp
 
Back
Top