In this article we will provide the information related to the HDFC IRCTC credit card review.
In a strategic partnership between HDFC Bank and IRCTC, the HDFC IRCTC Credit Card has been introduced as a co-branded credit card, operating on the Rupay platform.
Targeted at individuals who frequently travel by train, this credit card boasts features designed to cater to the specific needs of such travellers.
Below is an in-depth analysis of the card, covering fees, rewards, benefits, and an overall assessment.
FEES AND SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS
Joining and Annual Fees: The card comes with an initial joining fee of ₹500, along with applicable taxes.
Annual Fee Waiver: Users can enjoy a waiver on the annual fee if their spending reaches ₹150,000 or more in an anniversary year.
REWARDS AND BENEFITS
 Welcome Benefit: Cardholders receive a welcome gift voucher worth ₹500 upon activation within the first 30 days. Notably, there’s no minimum spending requirement mentioned.
Reward Points:
Users earn 5 reward points for every ₹100 spent on the IRCTC ticketing website and Rail Connect app, providing an effective 5% discount on train bookings.
However, this is capped at a maximum of 1000 reward points per month.
On all other expenditures, the card offers 1 reward point for every ₹1 spent, equivalent to a 1% cashback. Importantly, there is no capping on this reward.
An additional 5% cashback is provided on train ticket bookings through the HDFC Smart Buy platform. It’s crucial to note that this is a platform offer, not a card specific offer.
Exclusions for cashbacks include certain spends like wallet transactions, rent, gift vouchers, government payments, fuel, jewelry, EMI, etc.
Milestone Benefit:
Users can avail a ₹500 voucher upon spending ₹30,000 every quarter, with most of the aforementioned exclusions permitted towards milestone benefits.
 No Renewal Benefits
 Access to IRCTC Executive Lounges: The card provides 8 complimentary access passes to select IRCTC Executive Lounges each year (2 per quarter).
THOUGHTS ON HDFC IRCTC CREDIT CARD
The HDFC IRCTC credit card is specifically tailored for frequent travelers on Indian Railways, offering a substantial 10% discount on train tickets booked through the HDFC SmartBuy platform.
The monthly cap of 1000 reward points translates to significant savings for users making regular train bookings.
Beyond its railway centric perks, the HDFC IRCTC credit card stands out as a decent overall card.
Users benefit from a 1% reward rate on most spends and a ₹500 voucher on spending ₹30,000 in a quarter, resulting in an effective reward rate of approximately 2.7% for a monthly spend of just ₹10,000.
However, it’s important to note that the 1 reward point = ₹1 value is applicable only when redeeming points for train tickets, not for other purposes.
POSITIVES
10% Discount on Train Tickets:
Offers substantial savings on train bookings through the HDFC SmartBuy platform, combining a 5% reward rate and 5% cashback.
Quarterly Milestone Benefit:
The quarterly milestone benefit of ₹500 on spending ₹30,000 provides an additional 1.67% benefit.
Flexible Reward Points:
Unlike certain other IRCTC credit cards, reward points with the HDFC IRCTC credit card are not linked to the IRCTC account, allowing for unrestricted redemptions.
Rupay Platform:
The credit card operates on the Rupay platform, enabling linkage to UPI apps for seamless UPI payments.
NEGATIVES
70% Redemption Limit:
Points redemption on SmartBuy is capped at 70% of the ticket value, requiring users to pay the remaining amount.
Redemption Charges:
Users incur redemption charges of ₹99 + GST for every redemption, adding an extra cost to ticket redemptions.
Limited Railway Lounges:
Access to only 11 railway lounges in 9 cities raises questions about the practicality of this benefit.
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CONCLUSION
While the HDFC IRCTC credit card serves the specific demographic of frequent railway travelers well, offering a substantial 10% discount, it lacks some features and redemption flexibility.
For existing HDFC Bank users, particularly those with other HDFC credit cards, the benefits may not be significant.
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Moreover, considering the card falls under the cashback segment, exploring alternative cashback credit cards like SBI Cashback, Axis Ace, Axis Airtel, Amex MRCC, and HDFC Tata Neu could offer a more rewarding overall experience.
These alternatives may provide better reward rates and features, making them more appealing choices.