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IRCTC SBI Card Premier
IRCTC SBI Card Premier is the step-up variant of SBI's rail co-brand line, built for frequent train travellers who book often enough to justify a paid annual fee in exchange for a strong 10% effective return on IRCTC bookings. It also throws in railway lounge access at select stations, a benefit unique among SBI's card lineup, though it skips airport lounge access entirely. The card's value is concentrated almost entirely around IRCTC spend rather than everyday purchases.
Annual fee
₹1,499
Joining fee
₹1,499
Reward type
points
Base reward rate
0.8%
Card network
Visa
Card tier
Mid
Who this card fits
Best suited to applicants with a credit score of roughly 700+ whose spend is concentrated in travel. Its annual fee waives if you can comfortably clear the spend threshold.
Rewards & benefits
- Rewards rate: 0.8% base rate
- Domestic lounge access: 8 complimentary railway lounge visits per calendar year at select stations including New Delhi, Agra, Ahmedabad, and Jaipur, useful for pre-departure waiting time rather than airport travel
Benefits by category
- 🍽️ Dining & food delivery
2.4% reward rate
- ✈️ Travel
10% reward rate · 8 complimentary railway lounge visits per calendar year at select stations including New Delhi, Agra, Ahmedabad, and Jaipur, useful for pre-departure waiting time rather than airport travel
- ⛽ Fuel
1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions between Rs. 500 and Rs. 4,000, max Rs. 250 per statement cycle
- 🌍 Forex / international spend
3.5% forex markup on international transactions
Eligibility
- Minimum credit score: 700
- Minimum monthly income: ₹20,000
- Employment: salaried, self-employed
- Age: 21–60
Fees & charges
- Spend-based waiver: Waived on annual spend of ₹2,00,000
- Rewards redemption fee: ₹99 + applicable taxes per redemption request when reward points are redeemed for statement credit, gift vouchers or physical products, charged once per batch regardless of how many items are redeemed in it.
- Foreign currency markup: 3.5%
- Interest rate: 42% p.a.
- Fuel surcharge waiver: 1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions between Rs. 500 and Rs. 4,000, max Rs. 250 per statement cycle
- Cash advance charges: 2.5% of the withdrawn amount or ₹300 (whichever is higher) at domestic ATMs, and 3% or ₹300 (whichever is higher) internationally; cash advances earn no reward points and carry no interest-free grace period.
Benefits
- 1,500 bonus Reward Points credited on joining, usable toward the next IRCTC booking or general redemption
- 8 complimentary railway lounge visits per calendar year at select stations including New Delhi, Agra, Ahmedabad, and Jaipur, useful for pre-departure waiting time rather than airport travel
- 10% effective value back as Reward Points on every IRCTC train ticket booking made via the IRCTC website or app
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions between Rs. 500 and Rs. 4,000, max Rs. 250 per statement cycle
Pros
- + 10% effective value back on every IRCTC ticket booking
- + 8 complimentary railway lounge visits a year at select stations
- + Fee waived on a moderate Rs 2 lakh annual spend
- + 1,500 bonus points on joining
- + Bonus 2.4% rate on dining spend as a secondary category
Cons
- − Low base reward rate on general, non-travel spend
- − No Priority Pass or airport lounge access, only railway lounges
- − Reward value is concentrated almost entirely on IRCTC bookings
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