Is IRCTC RuPay SBI Card worth the ₹500 annual fee?

IRCTC RuPay SBI Card has an annual fee of ₹500. With a base reward rate of 1% (up to 10%), 4 domestic lounge visits, and a CardTrail Score of 7.9/10, it offers good value for the price.

What is the reward rate on IRCTC RuPay SBI Card?

IRCTC RuPay SBI Card offers a base reward rate of 1% on regular spends, going up to 10% on select categories. Rewards are earned as Reward Points. New cardholders also get a welcome bonus of 350 activation Reward Points on Rs 500+ first transaction within 45 days.

Does IRCTC RuPay SBI Card have airport lounge access?

Yes, IRCTC RuPay SBI Card provides 4 domestic and 0 international lounge visits per year.

What is the forex markup on IRCTC RuPay SBI Card?

IRCTC RuPay SBI Card charges a 3.5% forex markup on international transactions, plus 18% GST on the markup (effective rate: 4.13%). For international spends, consider zero-forex alternatives like Scapia or IDFC First Wealth.

IRCTC RuPay SBI Card vs ixigo AU Credit Card — which is better?

IRCTC RuPay SBI Card (CardTrail Score: 7.9/10) and ixigo AU Credit Card (Score: 8.9/10) are both travel cards. IRCTC RuPay SBI Card by SBI has a ₹500 fee with 1% base rewards, while ixigo AU Credit Card by AU Small Finance Bank has a no annual fee with 2.5% base rewards. Use our comparison tool for a detailed side-by-side analysis.

Travel

IRCTC RuPay SBI Card

SBI

7.9

CardTrail Score

Very Good

out of 10

Net Value

9.4

Accessibility

8.0

Feature Depth

5.0

Bank Trust

8.5

How we score →

Compare This Card Full Details

Annual Fee

₹500

Forex Markup

3.5%

Reward Rate

Up to 10%

Lounge Access

domestic | 0 intl

About This Card

The IRCTC RuPay SBI Card offers up to 10% value back on premium railway ticket bookings via IRCTC, with 4 railway lounge visits per year. The RuPay platform enables UPI payments. Better for occasional train travellers; the IRCTC HDFC card offers more lounge visits.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Up to 10% value back on premium railway bookings
Railway lounge access (4/year)
1% IRCTC transaction charge waiver
RuPay enables UPI CC payments

Cons

Low reward rate outside IRCTC bookings
Only 4 lounge visits (vs 8 on IRCTC HDFC variant)
No fuel surcharge waiver
Limited international acceptance (RuPay)

Fee Details

Annual Fee

₹500

Joining Fee

₹500

Fee Waiver Condition

Fuel Surcharge Waiver

EMI Conversion

Yes

Reward Structure

Base Rate

Max Rate

10%

Currency

Reward Points

Welcome Bonus

350 activation Reward Points on Rs 500+ first transaction within 45 days

Lounge Access

Domestic Lounges

per year

International Lounges

Key Highlights

Up to 10% value back on AC1/AC2/AC3/EC/CC railway bookings via IRCTC
1% transaction charge waiver on IRCTC bookings
4 complimentary railway lounge visits per year (1/quarter)
500 Reward Points on annual fee renewal
RuPay platform enables UPI-linked payments

Compare With...

See how IRCTC RuPay SBI Card stacks up against top alternatives

HDFC Diners Club Black

HDFC

9.1

Compare

HDFC Tata Neu Infinity

HDFC

9.1

Compare

IDFC FIRST Diamond Reserve Credit Card

IDFC FIRST

9.0

Compare

Want the Full Picture?

Compare the IRCTC RuPay SBI Card side-by-side with any card in our database. Use our comparison tool to see which card truly fits your spending pattern.

Open Comparison Tool Find My Ideal Card

CardTrail is an independent research platform. Our ratings are not influenced by commercial relationships.