If you travel frequently by train, getting a co-branded IRCTC credit can be useful. It will let you save money on your railway tickets while giving you other benefits. The IRCTC SBI Premier credit card is one such option. This one is a higher variant of the IRCTC SBI Platinum credit card and comes with better rewards and benefits. The IRCTC SBI Premier credit card comes with a joining and annual fee of Rs 1499+GST. We get 10% value back on AC class bookings on IRCTC along with good milestone benefits. Among its benefits are complimentary railway lounge access and savings on IRCTC transaction charges.
Fees
| Joining Fee | Rs 1499+GST ~Rs 1769 |
| Welcome Benefit | 1500 points ~Rs 1500 Value |
| Annual Fee | Rs 1499+GST ~Rs 1769 |
| Renewal Benefit | None |
| Annual Fee Waiver | On Rs 2 Lakh annual spend |
Rewards on IRCTC Spends
| Spend Category | Reward Rate |
|---|---|
| AC1, AC2, AC3, Executive Chair Car and Chair Car IRCTC Bookings | Up to 10% |
| Air Tickets IRCTC Purchases | 5% |
| IRCTC E-Catering Purchases | 5% |
- Up to 10% reward points for AC travel (1st, 2nd, 3rd, Executive Chair Car, Chair Car) as per the below dates
- 4% RP for travel between April 1 – July 14 and September 16 – January 14
- 10% RP for travel between January 15 – March 31 and July 15 – September 15
- Reward points will be accumulated in the IRCTC loyalty account. Check T&C here.
- 1 RP = Rs 1
For rewards, the cardholder has to be one of the passengers on the booked ticket.
Rewards on Other Spends
| Spend Category | Reward Rate | Return |
|---|---|---|
| Dining, Utility Spends (SI Only) | 3 RP/Rs 125 | 2.4% |
| Other Retail Spends | 1 RP/Rs 125 | 0.8% |
- 1 RP = Rs 1
- Reward points will be accumulated in IRCTC loyalty account
For rewards, the cardholder has to be one of the passengers on the booked ticket.
Milestone Rewards
| Annual Spends | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Rs 50,000 | 2500 RP ~Rs 2500 |
| Rs 1 Lakh | 5000 RP ~Rs 5000 |
This is a total of 7.5% return on Rs 1 Lakh travel spends. So, we can double dip with 10% rewards on AC travel. These benefits are applicable for all travel spends, not only IRCTC ones. SBI Card also has a list of MCCs that are eligible for this benefit.
IRCTC SBI Premier Credit Card Railway Lounge Access
We get 2 complimentary railway lounge access per quarter using the IRCTC SBI Card Premier. The cities where this is available are Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Ahmedabad, Kolkata(Sealdah). The benefits in the lounge include:
- Two hours of lounge stay
- A/C sitting arrangements
- 1 Buffet Meal – Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner as per the time of visit
- Unlimited tea and coffee
- Free Wi-Fi
- Newspapers and Magazines
Other Benefits
- Save 1% transaction charges on IRCTC railway ticket bookings
- Save 1.8% transaction charges on IRCTC air ticket bookings
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions between Rs 500 to Rs 4000 (Max Rs 250/statement cycle)
Final Thoughts
This is another lucrative card after the IRCTC SBI Platinum card for someone who regularly travels in trains. 10% value back on AC tickets and an additional 7.5% return on milestone spending is a great deal.
One thing we would like to see a change in is the complimentary railway lounge access. We seldom travel alone. SBI Card needs to be added complimentary access for guests or add-on cardholders. The other addition could be a little more benefits on non-AC ticket bookings. 0.8% for an IRCTC co-branded card is a bit less as per me.
The second change should be on the Rs 2 Lakh annual fee waiver. It can be Rs 1.5 Lakhs to make it easier to get the annual fee waiver. Milestone rewards end at Rs 1 Lakh spend. So the Rs 2 Lakh annual spend would not be possible with travel bookings alone for someone!
If you are looking for other cards that offer good benefits on IRCTC train bookings, then do have a look at IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card.
Frequently Asked Questions
IRCTC SBI Premier Credit Card
