Full Steam Ahead on Savings: Indian Railways Rolls Out 20% Festive Fare Cut

In a bid to enhance convenience and affordability for passengers traveling during the upcoming festive season, Indian Railways has introduced an innovative and experimental Round Trip Package scheme. This initiative provides a 20% rebate on the base fare of confirmed return journey tickets when booked together with onward tickets for the same trip, aiming to ease crowding, improve train utilization, and offer cost savings during Diwali and Chhath festivals.

 

Key Highlights: Discount Details and Booking Period

 

The scheme offers a 20% discount only on the base fare of the return journey when both onward and return tickets are booked simultaneously for the same passenger(s), class, and origin-destination pair.

 

Bookings open on August 14, 2025 for onward journeys scheduled between October 13 and October 26, 2025.

 

The corresponding return journey tickets can be booked for travel between November 17 and December 1, 2025.

 

Normal advance reservation period rules will not apply for the return tickets booked under this package, giving more flexibility to travelers.

 

Eligibility and Conditions of the Round Trip Package

 

The offer is valid for all classes and trains, including special trains, except trains operating under the flexi-fare system such as Rajdhani, Shatabdi, and Duronto services.

 

Tickets for both onward and return journeys must be confirmed and booked for the same passengers, travel class, and origin-destination pairing.

 

Both tickets must be purchased through the same mode—either both online or both at reservation counters.

 

Refunds, cancellations, and modifications are not allowed on tickets purchased under this scheme.

 

Additional discounts, coupons, passes, or vouchers cannot be combined with this offer on return tickets.

 

The discount applies strictly on the base fare component; other charges like reservation fee, superfast charges, etc., are excluded.

 

Objectives and Benefits of the Scheme

 

The initiative aims to redistribute the passenger traffic over a larger time frame during the festival season, helping to reduce overcrowding on popular trains and peak travel days.

 

It facilitates hassle-free bookings for passengers planning to visit their hometowns or relatives during extended family vacations.

 

The package enhances utilisation efficiency of both regular and special train services in both travel directions.

 

It encourages passengers to plan travel in advance, contributing to smoother management of the surge in festival-time demand.

 

Booking Process and How to Avail the Discount

 

Interested passengers must first book their onward journey ticket within the specified dates.

 

After that, the return journey ticket must be booked using the connecting journey feature available on Indian Railways’ booking platforms.

 

Ensure all passenger details match for onward and return trips to be eligible for the rebate.

 

The 20% discount will be automatically applied to the eligible return journey fare during ticket booking.

 

Additional Important Information

 

The scheme is being implemented initially on an experimental basis to test its effectiveness in managing peak season traffic.

 

The Railway Board has directed zonal railways to promote the scheme widely to generate maximum passenger awareness.

 

This package is not applicable on tickets booked before August 14, 2025, and only tickets booked after the opening date qualify.

 

The scheme excludes trains with dynamic or flexi-fare pricing structures to maintain fare consistency.

 

Conclusion

 

Indian Railways’ Round Trip Package with a 20% discount on return tickets marks a strategic effort to ease festive travel woes by incentivizing return trip bookings and dispersing peak season demand. Passengers enjoying this offer can look forward to more economical, convenient, and less crowded journeys during the lucrative Diwali and Chhath travel period. With bookings starting mid-August and travel windows stretching from October to early December, it promises to be a significant boon for millions planning festival travel this year.

 

Sources: India Today, The New Indian Express