Indian Railways Announces Big Discount For 'Round Trip Package

To manage the heavy rush during the upcoming festival season and make ticket bookings more convenient, the Ministry of Railways has launched an experimental "Round Trip Package" scheme. The initiative offers passengers a 20% discount on the base fare of their return journey when both onward and return tickets are booked together.

According to the ministry, the scheme aims to reduce peak-season congestion, distribute passenger traffic more evenly, and ensure optimal utilisation of trains in both directions, including special services.

Key Conditions

The scheme applies only when the same set of passengers books both onward and return tickets. Passenger details must match exactly.

• Bookings must be for the same class and the same origin-destination pair in both directions.
• Only confirmed tickets are eligible.
• The discount is available for all classes and trains, including special trains, but excludes flexi fare services such as Rajdhani, Shatabdi, and Duronto.
• No refunds, changes, concessional fares, or additional discounts are allowed.
• Both tickets must be booked through the same mode-either online or at a reservation counter.
• No extra fare will be collected later during charting for these PNRs.

Indian Railways Booking Schedule

• Start date for booking: 14 August 2025.
• Onward journey period: 13 October to 26 October 2025.
• Return journey period: 17 November to 1 December 2025. The return ticket must be booked after the onward ticket using the "Connecting Journey" feature.

The ministry said the Round Trip Package is a limited-time experiment aimed at offering passengers cost savings while improving the overall travel experience during high-demand periods. If successful, the scheme could be extended or adapted for future busy seasons.