LAHORE, Oct 4: The refund procedure for unused tickets purchased in advance has been made more passenger-friendly by allowing 50 per cent reimbursement in case the tickets are returned within three hours after departure of train.

Earlier, no refund was allowed on unused tickets after the departure of train.

Railway authorities said on Wednesday all divisional superintends had been asked to ensure that the passengers did not have to wait for days and hours for getting their refund. Directions had also been issued to complete all such refund cases within an hour.

People would be required to deposit their unused tickets, purchased in advance, with the station master or booking office concerned within three hours after departure of the train and obtain a ticket collection receipt. The passenger would then approach the divisional superintendent concerned or the office of the chief commercial manager (passenger) to lodge refund claim that would be decided by the competent authority.

The PR authorities said 100 per cent refund up to 48 hours, 90pc between 24 and 48 hours and 75pc would be allowed if tickets would be returned within 24 hours before departure of train. Full refund would be allowed, without any deductions, till the departure of the train on tickets purchased on cash vouchers and by government officers.

26 Eid trains: Railways will operate 26 special Eid trains from Oct 21 to take people to various destinations.

Eight special trains will be run from Lahore, five from Rawalpindi, three each from Karachi and Narowal, two each from Quetta, Multan and Faisalabad, besides one from Peshawar.

On Oct 21, the first train will leave Karachi at 1pm for Sargodha, the second at 2:45pm for Peshawar via Lahore, while the third from Quetta at 1pm for Peshawar. On Oct 22, the fourth special train will leave Karachi at 5:45pm for Rawalpindi and the fifth from Quetta at 1pm for Lahore.

On Oct 21 to 23, the sixth, eighth and 10th trains will leave Lahore at 9am for Rawalpindi, the seventh, ninth and 11th trains from Rawalpindi at 4pm for Lahore, the 20th, 22nd and 24th trains from Narowal at 5pm for Lahore, while the 21st, 23rd and 25th trains from Lahore at 11:55pm for Narowal.

On Oct 21 and 23, the 12th and 14th trains will leave Rawalpindi at 5:15pm for Multan, the 16th and 18th trains from Lahore at 4pm for Faisalabad, the 17th and 19th trains from Faisalabad at 7pm for Lahore. On Oct 22 and 24, the 13th and 15th trains will leave Multan at 11am for Rawalpindi. On Oct 23, the 26th train will leave Peshawar at 10.30am for Lahore. —Staff Reporter