Train Ticket Booking - Various Options For Cashback/Points

[sleepysurya]

A. HDFC Smartbuy has many options

• Good - No portal charges so far
• Bad - Since the move to new portal few months back, portal has become little unreliable with many bugs.

1. HDFC IRCTC Card
Heads Up - I haven’t seen any hands-on review for this and someone mentioned that HDFC is not approving this card yet. So no idea on points credit duration and any limitations.

• Via Smartbuy = 5% Card + 5% - 1.18% PG charges = 8.82%
• Direct = 5% - 1.18% CC Charges + 1% Transaction charges waiver = 4.82% (Useful for tatkal booking or when smartbuy limit exhausted)

2. Millenia Debit Card
Useful when one is not exhausting monthly 400 limit by paying CC bill via this.

• Via Smartbuy = 5% + 5% = 10%
• Good - No PG charges
• Not Good = Hassle to track points due to 90 days time for regular as well as smartbuy Cashbacks

3. Diners & Infinia = 3X points minus PG charges

• If you are getting good value out of infinia/diners points, totally makes sense

4. Other HDFC Debit Cards = 5% smartbuy cashback
5. Payzapp wallet = 5% (smartbuy cashback) minus 2% wallet charges = 3%
6. Regalia & Diners Privilege = They are just better than nothing due to 3X points minus PG charges. I don't think they want anyone to use Regalia.
7. Other HDFC credit cards

• 5% smartbuy cashback + Regular points - PG charges
• Much better option than Regalia & Diners Privilege

B. Other IRCTC co-branded cards (SBI, BOB)

• Have multiple conditions like peak(4%) vs off-peak(10%), cardholder should be one of the passenger, only for AC tickets. Not a fan of these cards. I may add more details for these later.

C. Axis Magnus & SBI Cashback

• Buy AmazonPay gift card and use amazon to book ticket if getting 3X for Magnus & 5% for SBI cashback on buying gift card
  • Bad - Amazon charges Rs.20 for sleeper and Rs.40 for AC as agent charges.
• For SBI Cashback, some people have mentioned booking train on Amazon gives 5%

I will update the post for any other good options I come across via comments or web

What I use - I used to have Millenia Debit, replaced that with Easyshop platinum and using that now for 5% cashback. Maybe once things are more clear with HDFC IRCTC card, I will try to replace Tata Neu card with that.

Edit 1 (30/05/2023) - Modified details about other HDFC credit cards

 

[22sumit]

Does HDFC Millennia Credit card also offer 5% cb on booking trains via the smartbuy portal?

SmartBuy

SmartBuy is a platform that solely displays offers extended by Merchants to HDFC Bank's Customers. HDFC Bank is not responsible for selling/rendering any of the listed Products/Services. HDFC Bank does not act as an express or implied agent of the listed Merchants/owners of the following...

offers.smartbuy.hdfcbank.com

 

[SpiesCan'tCatchMe]

Does HDFC Millennia Credit card also offer 5% cb on booking trains via the smartbuy portal?

SmartBuy

SmartBuy is a platform that solely displays offers extended by Merchants to HDFC Bank's Customers. HDFC Bank is not responsible for selling/rendering any of the listed Products/Services. HDFC Bank does not act as an express or implied agent of the listed Merchants/owners of the following...

offers.smartbuy.hdfcbank.com

+1 for diners millennia, just 5% cb or is there a catch

 

[sleepysurya]

Does HDFC Millennia Credit card also offer 5% cb on booking trains via the smartbuy portal?

SmartBuy

SmartBuy is a platform that solely displays offers extended by Merchants to HDFC Bank's Customers. HDFC Bank is not responsible for selling/rendering any of the listed Products/Services. HDFC Bank does not act as an express or implied agent of the listed Merchants/owners of the following...

offers.smartbuy.hdfcbank.com

Ahh, I missed it. I will update the post. I personally haven't used other cards, but theres shouldn't be any catch.

 

[WandereR]

Millennia CC would be 5% smartbuy+1%-PG I think. As Smartbuy cb is shown separately in the statement. (Unless it's 1+4). Haven't calculated. Hope someone can clarify

 

[SpiesCan'tCatchMe]

Millennia CC would be 5% smartbuy+1%-PG I think. As Smartbuy cb is shown separately in the statement. (Unless it's 1+4). Haven't calculated. Hope someone can clarify

I have used it yesterday let's wait for a day or so for the cashback to be reflected

 

[SpiesCan'tCatchMe]

I calculated and it seems, we get 5% cb upon using millenia via smartbuy
I did a transaction of 1795.40/- and amount deducted from cc was 1813.35 ( fare + 1% PG and gst). Cashback received was 90.67 (5%).

 

[WandereR]

How do you check the cashback this quick?

 

[SpiesCan'tCatchMe]

How do you check the cashback this quick?

In the statement

 

[22sumit]

I calculated and it seems, we get 5% cb upon using millenia via smartbuy
I did a transaction of 1795.40/- and amount deducted from cc was 1813.35 ( fare + 1% PG and gst). Cashback received was 90.67 (5%).

Yes, me too received smartbuy cashback as per ur calculations.

 

[22sumit]

@sleepysurya I've already used my Millennia cc for more than 20k last month and got cb for same. Will using my easyshop platinum debit card also fetch 5% cb for irctc ticket booking from the smartbuy portal?

 

[SpiesCan'tCatchMe]

@sleepysurya I've already used my Millennia cc for more than 20k last month and got cb for same. Will using my easyshop platinum debit card also fetch 5% cb for irctc ticket booking from the smartbuy portal?

Yes

 

[SpiesCan'tCatchMe]

Yes

But in future keep in mind that use your millenia cc on smartbuy for ticket booking and then pay its bill using platinum debit card so you get a total 6% return 😊

 

[cardwizard]

A. HDFC Smartbuy has many options

• Good - No portal charges so far
• Bad - Since the move to new portal few months back, portal has become little unreliable with many bugs.

1. HDFC IRCTC Card
Heads Up - I haven’t seen any hands-on review for this and someone mentioned that HDFC is not approving this card yet. So no idea on points credit duration and any limitations.

• Via Smartbuy = 5% Card + 5% - 1.18% PG charges = 8.82%
• Direct = 5% - 1.18% CC Charges + 1% Transaction charges waiver = 4.82% (Useful for tatkal booking or when smartbuy limit exhausted)

2. Millenia Debit Card
Useful when one is not exhausting monthly 400 limit by paying CC bill via this.

• Via Smartbuy = 5% + 5% = 10%
• Good - No PG charges
• Not Good = Hassle to track points due to 90 days time for regular as well as smartbuy Cashbacks

3. Diners & Infinia = 3X points minus PG charges

• If you are getting good value out of infinia/diners points, totally makes sense

4. Other HDFC Debit Cards = 5% smartbuy cashback
5. Payzapp wallet = 5% (smartbuy cashback) minus 2% wallet charges = 3%
6. Regalia & Diners Privilege = They are just better than nothing due to 3X points minus PG charges. I don't think they want anyone to use Regalia.
7. Other HDFC credit cards

• 5% smartbuy cashback + Regular points - PG charges
• Much better option than Regalia & Diners Privilege

B. Other IRCTC co-branded cards (SBI, BOB)

• Have multiple conditions like peak(4%) vs off-peak(10%), cardholder should be one of the passenger, only for AC tickets. Not a fan of these cards. I may add more details for these later.

C. Axis Magnus & SBI Cashback

• Buy AmazonPay gift card and use amazon to book ticket if getting 3X for Magnus & 5% for SBI cashback on buying gift card
  • Bad - Amazon charges Rs.20 for sleeper and Rs.40 for AC as agent charges.
• For SBI Cashback, some people have mentioned booking train on Amazon gives 5%

I will update the post for any other good options I come across via comments or web

What I use - I used to have Millenia Debit, replaced that with Easyshop platinum and using that now for 5% cashback. Maybe once things are more clear with HDFC IRCTC card, I will try to replace Tata Neu card with that.

Edit 1 (30/05/2023) - Modified details about other HDFC credit cards

You may have to edit some cashback details above, saw in the below thread that cashback is not given for some cards as MCC reported is 4112.

Bad news for SBI Cashback card Travel spend Reported MCC 4112 (no cashback on this MCC)

Bad news for SBI Cashback card Travel spend Reported MCC 4112 (no cashback on this MCC): MCC 4112 is Railway category. When we book Airline tickets on Cleartrip, Makemytrip, Yatra, Easymytrip websites/app. These merchant transactions reported MCC is 4112 and we will not get any cashback...

www.technofino.in

 

[CyberPsych]

I calculated and it seems, we get 5% cb upon using millenia via smartbuy
I did a transaction of 1795.40/- and amount deducted from cc was 1813.35 ( fare + 1% PG and gst). Cashback received was 90.67 (5%).

Is this for all category train booking or only AC coaches?

 

[SpiesCan'tCatchMe]

Is this for all category train booking or only AC coaches?

I tried with Ac but It should work with any class i guess

 

[Deathsnatcher]

can one use Rp for train booking via smartbuy?
just like in hotels we use 70% RP

 

[Shroud]

can one use Rp for train booking via smartbuy?
just like in hotels we use 70% RP

 

[Tonymathew]

Where does these cashback credit to?
As reward points? Or cashback in credit card statement/bank account in case of debit card? Or as any other?

 

[doomlord]

Easyshop platinum dc will give 5% + 1% or 5% + 5% on train tickets?