IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card vs SBI Cards IRCTC Visa Platinum Credit Card: Which is Better in 2026?
vs
In short: both charge a ₹500 annual fee; HDFC IRCTC includes 8 airport lounge visits, SBI IRCTC 4 railway lounge visits a year; both charge a 3.5% forex markup.
| Key facts | HDFC IRCTC | SBI IRCTC |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | ₹500 | ₹500 |
| Joining fee | ₹500 | Not listed |
| Annual fee waived | On ₹1.5 lakh annual spend | Not listed |
| Top reward rate | 5 Reward Point For Every ₹100 Spent on IRCTC | 1 Reward Points Per ₹125 Spent on Retail |
| Base rewards | 1 Reward Points per ₹100 | 1 Reward Points Per ₹125 Spent on Retail |
| Lounge access | 8 airport lounge visits | 4 railway lounge visits a year |
| Forex markup | 3.5% | 3.5% |
From issuer benefit data, checked 24 Oct 2026. Milestones, welcome benefits and caps are in the full table below.
What you'd earn in a year
On ₹20,000 a month with ₹5,000 at each card's top rate, HDFC IRCTC returns about ₹2,880 more a year after annual fees (₹4,800 vs ₹1,920 in rewards).
| Spend profile | HDFC IRCTC | SBI IRCTC |
|---|---|---|
| Reward value: top rate / base rate | 5% / 1% | 0.8% / 0.8% |
| ₹20,000 a month, all general spends | ₹2,400 | ₹1,920 |
| ₹20,000 a month, ₹5,000 of it at each card's top rate | ₹4,800 | ₹1,920 |
| Annual fee | ₹500 | ₹500 |
Estimates from the earn rates above, with stated cashback caps applied, before exclusions. Reward points are valued at the card's best listed redemption (often travel or vouchers via the bank's portal); cash-back on the statement is usually worth less. Annual fees may be waived on spend (see the table below).
SBI Cards IRCTC Visa Platinum Credit Card shows a stronger headline earn rate in the first reward band we surface. Always confirm current fees and offers on the issuer’s site before you apply.
Last updated:
| Feature | Irctc Hdfc Bank Credit Card | SBI Cards IRCTC Visa Platinum Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Bank | HDFC Bank | SBI Cards |
| Network | Rupay | Visa |
| Joining fee | Joining Fee of Rs.500 | — |
| Annual / renewal fee | Renewal Fee of Rs.500 | Annual Fee of Rs.500 |
| Annual fee waiver | Spend Rs.1.5 Lakhs For Renewal Fee Waiver | — |
| Top reward rate | Earn 5 Reward Point For Every Rs.100 Spent on IRCTC | Earn 1 Reward Points Per Rs.125 Spent on Retail |
| Base rate (other spends) | Earn 1 Reward Points per Rs.100 | — |
| Lounge — domestic | 8 Complimentary IRCTC Executive Lounges | Enjoy 4 Complimentary Railway Lounge Access in a Year |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1% Fuel Surcharge Waiver | 1% Fuel Surcharge Waiver |
| Welcome benefit | Welcome Gift Voucher Rs.500 on Card Activation | Welcome Benefits - 350 activation Bonus Reward Points |
| Milestone benefit | Get Rs.500 Gift Voucher on Spend Rs.30000 | Milestone benefits - Earn 500 Reward Points |
| Foreign currency markup | 3.50% - Foreign Currency Transactions | 3.5% - Foreign Currency Transactions |
Which is better for rewards?
Irctc Hdfc Bank Credit Card shows a higher headline earn signal in the reward summaries we index (Earn 5 Reward Point For Every Rs.100 Spent on IRCTC vs Earn 1 Reward Points Per Rs.125 Spent on Retail). If you optimise for points or cashback on daily spend, start with that card’s reward bands — then model redemptions you actually use.
Which is better for travel?
SBI Cards IRCTC Visa Platinum Credit Card has richer lounge-related fields in our current benefits extract (domestic: Enjoy 4 Complimentary Railway Lounge Access in a Year; international: —). Frequent flyers should still confirm guest access, visit limits and participating airports with the issuer.
Which has lower effective cost?
Headline renewal fees are effectively the same in our extract (about ₹500 per year for each card, before waivers). The real difference is often waiver rules and how much you spend—use the waiver row and your own spend pattern to estimate net cost.
Who should pick Irctc Hdfc Bank Credit Card?
Consider Irctc Hdfc Bank Credit Card if you already bank with HDFC Bank, and the fee, waiver and earn rows above line up with how you spend each month. Use CardChat on that card for deeper, personalised follow-ups.
Who should pick SBI Cards IRCTC Visa Platinum Credit Card?
Consider SBI Cards IRCTC Visa Platinum Credit Card if you already bank with SBI Cards, and the fee, waiver and earn rows above line up with how you spend each month. Use CardChat on that card for deeper, personalised follow-ups.
Frequently Asked Questions
From the lounge fields in our benefit data: SBI Cards IRCTC Visa Platinum Credit Card — domestic: Enjoy 4 Complimentary Railway Lounge Access in a Year; international: —. Irctc Hdfc Bank Credit Card — domestic: 8 Complimentary IRCTC Executive Lounges; international: —. Guest rules, networks and visit caps change — confirm on the HDFC Bank and SBI Cards websites before you travel.
From the renewal-fee lines we index, the headline amounts are about ₹500 vs ₹500 per year before taxes and waivers. Campaigns and customer-specific pricing differ — use the comparison table and the HDFC Bank and SBI Cards websites for the final number.
On the first reward band we surface, SBI Cards IRCTC Visa Platinum Credit Card shows a stronger headline earn (Earn 1 Reward Points Per Rs.125 Spent on Retail vs Earn 5 Reward Point For Every Rs.100 Spent on IRCTC). Category bonuses, caps and redemption value decide real-world returns — map this to where you actually spend.
Irctc Hdfc Bank Credit Card: Spend Rs.1.5 Lakhs For Renewal Fee Waiver SBI Cards IRCTC Visa Platinum Credit Card: Waiver wording not in our benefit extract — check SBI Cards. Spend thresholds and anniversary rules change; confirm the latest T&Cs.
Irctc Hdfc Bank Credit Card: 3.50% - Foreign Currency Transactions SBI Cards IRCTC Visa Platinum Credit Card: 3.5% - Foreign Currency Transactions Lower published foreign-currency markup is usually better for overseas and foreign-currency online spend; confirm the live rate and exclusions on the HDFC Bank and SBI Cards websites.
Irctc Hdfc Bank Credit Card: Welcome Gift Voucher Rs.500 on Card Activation SBI Cards IRCTC Visa Platinum Credit Card: Welcome Benefits - 350 activation Bonus Reward Points Welcome campaigns are time-bound — verify eligibility and fulfilment on the HDFC Bank and SBI Cards websites.