RZD changes return fees for tickets purchased from December

Russian Railways is introducing a percentage-based processing fee for returning unused long-distance train tickets. Interfax reported on 2 October 2026 that the new arrangement applies to tickets purchased from 1 December 2026. Through 30 November inclusive, the previous fee of 3.70 roubles remains. For passengers in Russia, the purchase date matters alongside the train's departure date.

The interval before departure determines the rate

Russian Railways specified four intervals, with a higher percentage when the return occurs closer to departure. The scale concerns the processing fee for a return. It should not automatically be read as a complete account of the refund a passenger receives for every ticket type. Other return conditions and exceptions remain governed by the applicable passenger transport rules.

• At least 45 days before departure: 1%.
• Between 30 and 44 days: 3%.
• Between 10 and 29 days: 5%.
• Nine days or fewer: 10%.

The ranges do not overlap: the boundary between the second and third bands, for example, lies between 30 and 29 days. The rates are percentages rather than fixed rouble amounts. Consequently, the processing fee under the new arrangement depends on the fare basis of the particular ticket as well as the relevant interval. Without the document's applicable cost, there is no single cash amount to assign to each band.

Service charges are excluded from the calculation

The company explained that the percentage applies to the travel document's cost excluding the service package and the charge for bed linen. These components must be distinguished from the travel fare. Applying the percentage to the entire purchase, including those services, would not follow the arrangement described by Russian Railways.

No processing fee is charged when only the service package or bed-linen cost is returned, including the relevant situations involving non-refundable tickets. The report also notes other exceptions under the passenger transport rules. A percentage-based fee therefore does not mean that one rate applies without exceptions to every transaction involving money returned to a passenger.

Which details matter when reviewing a ticket

The carrier's announcement separates the purchase date, the period before departure, the calculation basis and the grounds for a return. These details establish which arrangement applies to a particular document. The new scale does not turn the previous fixed fee into a general percentage for tickets purchased before its start date. Nor does a change to the processing arrangement automatically change the original price of the journey.

The announcement concerns a future transition, rather than collection under the new scale already beginning on 2 October. The earlier arrangement remains relevant to ticket purchases before 1 December. When reviewing subsequent clarification, readers should check the carrier's official conditions and distinguish the fee for processing a return from other components that may affect the final refunded amount.