First, stop and confirm the situation
Do not run alongside or try to board a moving train. Confirm the train number, departure status, station and date with station staff or official enquiry. A platform change or a wrong station can look like a missed departure. Once departure is confirmed, separate the immediate travel decision from the refund question.
Can you join at the next station?
Do not assume your berth remains reserved after a missed boarding point. Ask railway staff about the actual reservation and permitted action before attempting another boarding location. Do not take an unsafe road journey to chase the train. A proposed boarding change is not complete until the official record confirms it.
If you missed a connection because the first train was late
Keep both booking records and the first train’s actual arrival evidence. IRCTC’s published document identifies linked PNRs as relevant to its missed-connection claim category. Separate tickets are not automatically protected simply because you intended a connection. Ask promptly which current claim route applies; do not substitute the reason for a personal late arrival.
Compare a new journey realistically
Check trains you can reach safely, including another class or nearby departure station. Verify whether the new ticket is confirmed, RAC or waitlisted. Add station-transfer time and onward accommodation costs to your decision. Before paying, check that the travel date has not rolled over after midnight.
What about the unused ticket?
Missing a train does not itself establish refund eligibility. Use the booking account’s current conditions and official assistance, distinguishing a personal delay from a railway disruption. Keep acknowledgements and tell support exactly what occurred. Do not file a false disruption claim to recover a ticket you simply did not use.