Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
Railway and travel concessions for cancer patients | CION Cancer Clinics
Indian Railways has long offered cancer patients a reduced fare when travelling for treatment or check-ups, usually with one escort. You claim it with a certificate from the doctor treating the cancer. The rules change, so check them when you book. This page explains what to ask for, how to claim it, and what to do if someone becomes unwell on the journey to Hyderabad. At CION Cancer Clinics, our team supports patients and families through symptoms, follow-up and life during and after treatment.
NG
Medically reviewed by Dr. Naresh GunduConsultant Medical Oncologist · MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS) · last reviewed October 2026, next review due October 2027
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On this page
- Do cancer patients get a railway concession in India?
- Which travel concessions might a cancer patient be able to use?
- How do I actually claim the railway concession?
- What do the words on the concession paperwork mean?
- What do families often get wrong about travel concessions?
- What can this page not tell you?
- Common questions about travel concessions
The short answer
Do cancer patients get a railway concession in India?
Yes. Indian Railways has for many years offered a reduced fare to people with cancer travelling for treatment or check-ups, and usually to one person travelling with them. You claim it with a certificate from the hospital or doctor treating you, and you show that certificate when you book and when you travel.
The rules are set by the railways, not by any hospital. The classes covered, the size of the reduction and how you book have all changed before and may change again. Treat this page as a map of what to ask, and check the current rules at the reservation counter or on the official railway booking channels before you rely on them.
Who this page is for
Families from Telangana and Andhra districts often make the journey to Hyderabad many times over a course of liver cancer treatment. Scans, tumour board reviews, treatment visits and follow-up appointments add up. A concession on each journey can matter as much as the price of a single test. If you are planning the whole trip, read travelling for treatment from outside Hyderabad alongside this page.
This is general information, not legal or official advice. The railway's own staff are the final word on what you can claim.What to ask about
Which travel concessions might a cancer patient be able to use?
Some are well established. Others depend on the state, the operator and the year. Ask about each one rather than assuming.
Railway concession
The best known. It covers the patient going for treatment or a check-up, and usually one escort. It normally applies to the onward and return journey between home and the treating centre.
You will usually need
- The concession certificate from the treating doctor
- Photo identity for the patient and the escort
- Recent treatment papers, in case staff ask
State bus travel
Some state transport corporations have offered passes or reduced fares to certain patients from time to time. What is available in Telangana and in Andhra Pradesh can differ. Ask at your local bus depot what applies now and which papers they need.
Disability-linked concessions
A person who also holds a disability certificate may be able to use concessions linked to it. These have their own rules. See disability certificates and entitlements for how that certificate works.
Air travel
There is no general scheme that gives cancer patients cheaper flights. Airlines can arrange a wheelchair and help at the airport if you ask when booking. Whether flying is safe for you is a medical question, covered in flying with liver cancer.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistStep by step
How do I actually claim the railway concession?
Ask your treating team for the certificate
The railways use a set format, signed by the doctor treating the cancer. Ask at your next visit, not on the day you travel. At CION, the care team can help you with this paperwork.
Check what the certificate says
Make sure the patient's name matches their identity card exactly. Check that it names the treating centre, the escort if needed, and the period it is valid for. A spelling mismatch is the most common reason a booking is refused.
Book through the channel that accepts it
Ask at the reservation counter whether your concession can be booked online or only at the counter. Carry the original certificate and keep a few photocopies.
Carry it on the journey
The ticket examiner can ask to see the certificate and identity papers. Keep them in the same folder as your medical reports, so nothing is left at home.
Renew it before it runs out
Certificates are valid for a limited period. If treatment continues, ask for a fresh one in good time. Note the expiry date in your single treatment file.
!
If someone becomes unwell on the way
Vomiting blood, black or tarry stools, new confusion or drowsiness, or a fever with a swollen, painful belly all need a hospital today. Do not wait to reach Hyderabad or the next appointment. Get off at the nearest large station, tell railway staff you need emergency help, and go to the nearest hospital. Carry a one-page summary of the diagnosis and medicines so the doctors there can act quickly.
On the form
What do the words on the concession paperwork mean?
- Concession certificate
- The signed form from your treating doctor that tells the railways you have cancer and are travelling for treatment.
- Escort
- The one person allowed to travel with the patient at the reduced fare. Usually a family member. Their identity papers are needed too.
- Treating centre
- The hospital or clinic where the cancer is being treated or followed up. The journey is normally between home and this place.
- Validity
- The period the certificate can be used for. After this date it is no longer accepted, even if treatment is still going on.
- Reservation counter
- The station ticket window. When rules are unclear, staff here can tell you what is accepted today.
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Commonly believed
What do families often get wrong about travel concessions?
"The concessions were all stopped."
Some railway concessions, such as those for senior citizens, have been withdrawn in recent years, and that news spread widely. Patient concessions are a separate category. Ask at the counter what applies to cancer patients now rather than assuming it is gone.
"Any doctor's letter will do."
The railways expect their own format, signed by the doctor treating the cancer. A general letter or a prescription is often refused. Ask your treating team for the correct form.
"It is only for people having chemotherapy."
The concession is linked to cancer and travel for treatment or check-ups, not to one kind of treatment. Someone attending for a follow-up scan review may still qualify. Check with the railway what counts.
"Claiming it means admitting how ill we are."
It is a practical benefit that many families use quietly. It says nothing about how serious the illness is, and nobody on the train needs to know why you hold it.
Being straight with you
What can this page not tell you?
It cannot tell you the current fare reduction, which classes are covered this year, or whether you can book online. Those are railway rules and they change. The reservation counter, the railway's official helpline and its official website have the current answer.
It cannot promise you will qualify
Whether a particular journey counts is decided by railway staff against their rules, not by your hospital. If you are refused, ask politely which rule applies and what paper is missing, then bring that back to your care team.
Who this does not apply to
If you live in Hyderabad and travel by road, the railway concession will not help with daily costs. Look instead at travel and stay costs and at what your insurance or a government scheme covers. Concessions also do not cover a stay in the city, food or local transport.
Not sure which papers you need for your next visit? Call the helpline before you travel and ask.Questions we are asked
Common questions about travel concessions
Can the person travelling with me also get the concession?
Usually one escort can travel at the reduced fare with the patient. The escort's name may need to appear on the certificate or be given at booking, and they will need their own identity papers. Check the current rule at the reservation counter before booking.
Who signs the concession certificate?
The doctor who is treating the cancer, on the format the railways accept. Your family doctor is usually not the right person unless they are managing the cancer. If you are treated at CION, ask your care team at your next visit and they will help with the form.
Does the concession cover the return journey?
It has normally covered the journey to the treating centre and back home. Book both journeys together if you can, and keep the certificate with you for the return. Rules can change, so confirm this when you book rather than on the day.
Can I book the concession ticket online?
This has differed by concession type and has changed over time. Ask at the reservation counter or check the official railway booking channels before you plan around it. If online booking is not possible, book at the counter with the original certificate and your identity papers.
What if my certificate has expired mid-treatment?
An expired certificate is usually not accepted, even if treatment continues. Ask your treating team for a fresh one before your next journey. Writing the expiry date in your treatment file or on your phone calendar saves a wasted trip to the station.
Is there a concession for state buses in Telangana or Andhra?
Some state transport corporations have offered passes or reduced fares to certain patients at different times. What is available now, and for whom, can differ between the two states. Your local bus depot can tell you what applies and which documents they need.
Do concessions help with the cost of staying in Hyderabad?
No. Travel concessions cover the fare only. Lodging, food and local transport are separate costs. Plan visits so that scans, reviews and treatment fall on as few days as possible, and ask your care team whether appointments can be grouped together.
Who can I ask if I am still unsure?
For the railway rules, ask the station reservation counter or the railway's official helpline. For the certificate and your treatment papers, ask your care team. If you are a CION patient, call the helpline and someone will help you get the paperwork ready.
Your Specialists
Meet CION's liver cancer specialists. Bring your scan reports and liver blood tests.
Our medical and surgical oncologists plan liver cancer care together, weighing the tumour and how well your liver works before choosing surgery, a liver-directed procedure or medicines.
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Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
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Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
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Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
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Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Surgical Oncologist
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Sources
- National Cancer Institute — Managing Cancer Costs and Medical Information
- National Cancer Institute — Caregivers of Cancer Patients
- American Cancer Society — Cancer Caregiver Support
- Cancer Research UK — Coping with cancer
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
Related pages
Travelling for treatment from outside HyderabadPlanning the whole journey, not just the ticketTravel and stay costs for treatment in HyderabadWhat the trip really costs beyond the fareDisability certificates and entitlementsAnother certificate that can open concessionsKeeping a single liver cancer fileKeep the certificate and reports together
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Travelling to Hyderabad for treatment?
Tell us where you are coming from and what your next visit involves. We can help you get your paperwork ready and plan appointments so the journey is worth it. One helpline serves every CION centre.