BOB IRCTC Credit Card

The IRCTC BOBCARD RuPay is a co-branded travel credit card. Bank of Baroda issued it mainly keeping railway passengers in mind — people who book train tickets frequently. When you book tickets through the IRCTC website or app using this card, you get a value-back benefit, roughly up to about 10% through rewards/adjustments. So, for regular train travellers, it actually saves some booking costs.

As per JCB information, this IRCTC BoB contactless credit card was launched on 21 February 2022. It came as a joint partnership — IRCTC side, NPCI (RuPay network) and BOB Financial Solutions, which is Bank of Baroda’s card issuing company. The bank’s main idea was to give some savings to passengers who regularly book rail tickets.

Network details are also important here:

• Network: RuPay platform only (domestic card network).
• UPI Enabled: Yes — you can link it in BHIM, PhonePe, Paytm, etc., and pay by QR at shops or online. Amount goes on the credit limit, not from the savings account.
• Features: Reward points on normal spending, railway lounge access at selected stations, and in some cases, international acceptance through JCB network tie-up.
• Not Visa/Mastercard: The bank has not issued this variant on Visa or Mastercard; benefits are structured mainly around Indian railway and local usage.

So overall, the card is built more for regular rail travellers and day-to-day payments inside India rather than heavy foreign spend users.

BOB IRCTC Reward Program — how this card actually gives benefit

This IRCTC BOBCARD reward system is mainly built around railway booking, plus your daily spending. Points you earn are not only for show — you can either convert them into statement cashback or directly use them for booking train tickets through the IRCTC loyalty side.

1. Reward earning structure

Points depend on where and when you spend. Railway booking season also matters.

Important: Accelerated railway points come only if you book AC classes — 1AC, 2AC, 3AC, CC or EC — and the ticket must be in the primary cardholder’s name.

2. Linking IRCTC loyalty (a very necessary step)

Many customers miss this, then they say the card not giving benefit. Actually, loyalty number linking is compulsory.

• First, pay the joining fee — only after the first statement, your 11-digit loyalty number activates (number printed on card).
• Log in to the IRCTC website with your ID.
• Go to Loyalty → Add Loyalty Account.
• Enter the 11-digit number and verify with OTP on the registered mobile.
• Profile details must match — name, email, and mobile number, same as the BOBCARD application, otherwise linking fails.

Without linking, accelerated railway points will not credit properly.

3. Redemption options

You have two practical ways to use the points:

Option A — Free train ticket

• Login IRCTC, choose the AC class train.
• Select Redeem Loyalty Points at the payment page.
• Conversion: 4 BOBCARD points = 1 IRCTC travel point
• Full fare should be covered by points; part payment is generally not allowed.

Good for people who travel frequently — the ticket literally becomes free after some bookings.

Option B — Statement cashback

• Redeem from the BOBCARD online portal or by email to support.
• Value: 1 reward point = ₹0.25
• Minimum usually around 500 points required.

This suits customers who don’t want ticket booking every time and prefer bill adjustment.

4. Important reward rules

• Points validity: 2 years from the earning date.
• IRCTC booking: 1% transaction charge waiver available.
• UPI payments: You still earn base rewards — 2 points per ₹100 when paying through QR using RuPay credit on UPI.

So overall, the card gives maximum value only if the person is regularly booking AC train tickets. For casual railway users, rewards will come, but real savings you won’t fully feel.

What are the Top Features (apart from reward points)

Reward points are one side, but this card’s real usefulness comes from the travel and protection benefits. The bank has kept many small-small facilities which regular railway passengers actually notice.

1. Welcome benefit

After a card issue, the bank gives a starting bonus.

• You get 500 bonus reward points (around ₹250 value).
• Condition — make at least one transaction of ₹5,000 or more within 60 days of card activation.
• Earlier, some cards were giving 500 points, but now the IRCTC variant normally gives 1,000 once the spend milestone is completed.

So basically first purchase itself recovers a part of the joining cost.

2. Railway lounge access

This is one practical feature many travellers like.

• 4 free visits per year to IRCTC Executive railway lounges
• 1 visit allowed per quarter
• Stations include New Delhi, Jaipur, Agra Cantt, Ahmedabad, Sealdah, etc.
• Inside the lounge, you usually get: AC waiting seating, Free Wi-Fi, one buffet meal, and around 2 hours stay allowed.
• You can check the RuPay Credit Card Lounge Program PDF at official site.

At entry, they swipe the card, and a ₹2 validation charge is taken (not refundable, just for verification). For people waiting long hours for a train, this feature alone sometimes feels worth the card.

3. fuel surcharge waiver

• 1% fuel surcharge waiver at petrol pumps across India
• Valid on transactions between ₹500 and ₹3,000
• Maximum waiver of ₹100 per statement cycle

So if someone fills fuel monthly, some amount keeps adjusting automatically.

4. Insurance & liability protection

The bank also keeps basic safety cover on the card.

• Air accident cover: ₹15 lakh
• Non-air accident cover: ₹5 lakh
• Professional indemnity: up to ₹5 lakh (eligible cases)
• Zero lost card liability: once you inform customer care about loss, any transaction after reporting is the bank’s responsibility, not yours.

This part customers normally ignore, but it is actually a financial protection feature.

5. Other useful facilities

• Smart EMI: purchases above ₹2,500 can be converted into EMI (6–36 months tenure).
• Free add-on cards: up to 3 family members (18+ age).
• RuPay UPI: you can link the card in BHIM, PhonePe, GPay, etc., and pay by QR — the amount goes on the credit limit instead of the savings account.

What are the Eligibility, credit limit, charges & overall view

This card bank mainly gives to regular earning customers, not the student category and premium tier. It is targeted at working people who often travel by train.

1. Eligibility & expected credit limit

Basic eligibility

• Salaried income: minimum ₹3.6 lakh yearly (around ₹30,000/month salary)
• Self-employed: around ₹4.8 lakh annual income
• Age: 21–65 years (primary cardholder)
• Add-on card: family member above 18 years

Credit limit

Credit limit is not fixed. BOBCARD decides after checking your income proof, CIBIL score and running EMIs. Rough idea of limit. Normally, banks keep the first limit around 2 to 3 times your monthly salary. Example: If salary is ₹30,000/month → starting limit can come roughly ₹60,000–₹90,000 (higher if CIBIL 750+ and loans are less). but, If already too many EMIs or a low credit score, the bank may keep a smaller limit.

2. Charges you should know

So important point — if you pay the full bill on time, the card is cheap. If you revolve payment, interest becomes heavy.

3. Advantages (where the card actually works well)

• Railway booking gives high value-back during peak season
• RuPay UPI — you can pay small merchants by QR using your credit limit
• 4 railway lounge visits yearly are useful for waiting passengers
• 1% waiver on IRCTC booking charges and fuel surcharge
• Good for people doing frequent IRCTC bookings every month

4. Cons (where users feel limitations)

• Normal shopping reward rate is low (base only 2 points per ₹100)
• Reward value ₹0.25 per point — not very high compared to premium travel cards
• Accelerated railway points apply only to AC class tickets and the primary cardholder’s fare
• Not suitable for heavy international spending users

If a person travels by train regularly — especially AC reservations — this card makes sense and offers savings you can see in statements. But if railway booking happens only occasionally and most spending is online shopping or dining, then this card will feel average compared to other lifestyle cards.

Comparison — IRCTC BOBCARD vs similar railway cards

This card is an entry-level travel category, but the two main competitors are the SBI IRCTC Platinum and the HDFC IRCTC card. All three are railway-focused, but the usage style is slightly different.

Practical difference: SBI gives slightly stronger ticket reward, HDFC suits higher spenders, but BOBCARD is more flexible because you can convert points into statement cashback also — not compulsory to book tickets only.

How to apply (online process)

Application is fully online, no need to visit the branch normally.

1. Go to the BOBCARD application page and fill in the details — name, PAN, Aadhaar-linked mobile, and income details.
2. Select IRCTC BOBCARD RuPay from available cards.
3. Do Aadhaar OTP e-sign (digital signature).
4. Complete video KYC — the bank officer will verify that you live on camera.

You can also apply through Easemoney. First, check your eligibility based on your existing credit score here, so unnecessary rejection chances reduce. If score and profile match, then proceed with the application confidently. It helps you understand the approval possibility before applying and keeps your CIBIL inquiry limited and safe.

Basic documents required

Keep these ready before applying:

• Aadhaar card
• PAN card (original shown during video KYC)
• Mobile number linked with Aadhaar
• Digilocker access (sometimes asked for document fetch)
• White paper signature (you sign and show on camera)

If later bank calls for verification or courier executive visits, they usually only check Aadhaar once and process is finished. After approval, virtual card generally comes first, and physical card reaches by post in a few days.

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