Best Railway Lounge Access Credit Cards

If you're a regular train traveller, then you may have experienced the problem of waiting at crowded and noisy railway stations, you may have wished for a comfortable and relaxing location to take a seat, work, or enjoy some refreshments before boarding your train. 

Well, you are in good fortune due to the fact there are some credit cards that offer you complimentary right of entry to railway lounges throughout India. 

Enter railway lounge access credit cards – your ticket to comfort and convenience while waiting for your train. These lounges are geared up with services like Wi-Fi, TV, newspapers, magazines, snacks, liquids, and more. You can enjoy those benefits by literally just swiping your credit card at the lounge entrance.

In this guide, we'll chug along the tracks of railway lounge access credit cards, exploring their benefits, quirks, and which ones are worth considering for your journey. These cards not only provide you with free lounge visits, but also other perks like rewards, discounts, cashback, insurance, and more. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at these cards and their features.

Best Railway Lounge Access Credit Cards

1. IDFC FIRST Bank Classic Credit Card

IDFC FIRST Bank Classic Credit Card is a lifetime free credit card that offers you up to 4 complimentary railway lounge access per quarter, which means you get 16 complimentary railway lounge access per year at the participating lounges in India, and this is simply amazing. To avail of this benefit, you need to use your IDFC FIRST Bank Classic Credit Card at the lounge, you will be charged just ₹2 from your account to validate the card for complimentary lounge access.

Apart from this, the card also offers you:

• A welcome gift voucher of ₹500 on spending ₹15,000 within the first 90 days of card issuance.
• 10x reward points on all purchases above ₹20,000.
• 3 reward points for every ₹100 spent offline.
• 6  reward points for every  ₹100 spent online.
• 10 reward points for every ₹150 spent on birthdays.
• A personal accident cover of up to  ₹2 lakh.
• A lost card liability cover of ₹25,000.
• A fuel surcharge waiver of 1% up to ₹200 per month across all petrol pumps in India.

2. IRCTC BoB RuPay Credit Card

This is a co-branded credit card by Bank of Baroda and IRCTC that offers you exclusive benefits on train travel. You get up to 4 complimentary railway lounge access per year (1 per quarter) at the participating lounges in India. To avail of this offer, you need to use your IRCTC BoB RuPay Credit Card at the lounge, and for the only purpose of card validation, authorisation for an amount of ₹2 will be taken on the card, and it will be charged to your credit card account.

Some of the other benefits of this card are:

• A welcome gift bonus of 1000 reward points on spending ₹1000 in a single transaction within the first 45 days of card issuance.
• Up to 40 reward points per ₹100 spent on train bookings via the IRCTC website or mobile app (by linking your card loyalty number with your IRCTC login ID).
• 4 reward points for every ₹100 spent on grocery and departmental stores.
• 2 reward points for every ₹100 spent on other categories.
• A railway surcharge waiver of 1% on train ticket bookings via the IRCTC website or mobile app.
• A fuel surcharge waiver of 1% up to ₹100 per month at all petrol pumps in India for transactions between ₹500 and ₹3000.

3. IRCTC SBI Card Premier

This is another co-branded credit card by SBI Card and IRCTC that offers you attractive benefits on train travel. You get up to 8 complimentary railway lounge access per year (max. 2 per quarter) at participating lounges in India. To avail of this benefit, you need to use your IRCTC SBI Card Premier at the lounge and to validate the card for complimentary lounge access, an amount of ₹2 will be taken on the card, and it will be charged to your credit card account.

Some of the other benefits of this card are:

• A welcome gift voucher of 1,500 reward points, which is equivalent to ₹1,500, is given on the payment of the first annual fee. 
• A value-back benefit of 10% as reward points on AC1, AC2, AC3, and AC CC ticket bookings via the IRCTC website or mobile app.
• A transaction charge waiver of 1% on train ticket bookings via the IRCTC website or mobile app.
• A value-back benefit of 5% as reward points on air ticket bookings and e-catering purchases via the IRCTC website or mobile app.
• A milestone benefit of up to 5,000 reward points on annual travel spends of ₹1 lakh or more.
• A spend-based annual fee reversal on spends of ₹2 lakh or more in a year.
• A fuel surcharge waiver of 1% up to ₹250 per month across all petrol pumps in India for transactions between ₹500 and ₹4,000.
• Insurance Benefits
  • Complimentary Rail Accident Insurance: ₹10 Lakh
  • Complimentary Air Accident insurance: ₹50 Lakh
  • Complimentary Fraud Liability cover: ₹1 Lakh

4. ICICI Bank Coral Credit Card

ICICI Bank Coral Credit Card is a lifestyle credit card that offers you a range of benefits across categories like entertainment, dining, travel, and more. You get up to 4 complimentary railway lounge access per year (1 per quarter) at partner lounges in India. To avail of this benefit, you must present your valid, unexpired eligible card and valid railway tickets at the entrance to the participating lounges.

Some of the other benefits of this card are:

• A 25% discount of up to ₹100 on movie tickets booked via BookMyShow or Inox twice a month.
• A 15% discount on dining bills at over 2,500 restaurants across India through ICICI Bank Culinary Treats Programme.
• Up to 2,000 reward points on annual spending of ₹2 lakh or more.
• Up to 1,000 reward points on annual spending of ₹1 lakh or more.
• 1 reward point for every ₹100 spent on utilities & insurance-related transactions.
• 2 reward points for every ₹100 spent on other transactions.
• A fuel surcharge waiver of 1% up to ₹250 per month across all HPCL petrol pumps in India for transactions up to ₹4,000.

5. IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card

This is a newly launched co-branded credit card by HDFC Bank and IRCTC that offers you various benefits on train travel and other categories. You get up to 8 complimentary railway lounge access per year (max. 3 per quarter) at select lounges in India. To avail of this benefit, you need to use your HDFC Bank RuPay IRCTC Credit Card at the lounge, and a ₹2 authorisation will be collected on the card for the sole purpose of card validation, and your credit card account will be charged for that amount.

Some of the other benefits of this card are:

• A welcome gift voucher of ₹500 on card activation within the first 37 days of card issuance.
• 5 reward points per ₹100 spent on train bookings via the IRCTC website or mobile app.
• 1 reward point for every ₹100 spent on other transactions.
• An additional 5% cashback on train ticket bookings via HDFC Bank SmartBuy. 
• A spend-based annual fee reversal on spends of ₹1.5 lakh or more in a year.
• A fuel surcharge waiver of 1% up to ₹250 per month across all petrol pumps in India for transactions between ₹400 and ₹5,000
• A gift voucher worth ₹500 on quarterly spends of ₹30,000.

Conclusion

We have compiled a list of the 5 best credit cards in India that offer access to railway lounges, making your train journey comfortable and convenient. With these cards, you can enjoy the facilities and amenities of the railway lounges at no extra cost. Additionally, you can save money and earn rewards on your train ticket bookings and other purchases. 

However, before applying for any credit card, it is crucial to examine the features, rewards, fees, and charges of different cards. Choose the one that suits your preferences and spending habits. You can easily compare and find the best credit cards in India by visiting Select by Finology. This platform helps you make smart and informed decisions about your finances. 

So, visit Select by Finology today and apply for a credit card that provides railway lounge access. Experience a comfortable train journey and enjoy the benefits that come with it.