Railways offers 20% discount on return tickets with new ‘Round Trip Package’ scheme

The Ministry of Railways has introduced a new scheme called the "Round Trip Package" to help manage the heavy passenger rush during the upcoming festival season. The scheme will offer a 20% discount on the base fare of return tickets for passengers who book both their onward and return journeys together.

According to the ministry, the aim is to evenly distribute passenger traffic, make the booking process easier, and ensure trains are used efficiently in both directions. This scheme will also benefit passengers by giving them a cost-saving option during the peak travel period.

How the round trip package works

The new discount will only apply if passengers meet certain conditions. It is available to those who book their onward and return journey tickets for the same set of passengers and the same route.

Here are the main conditions for the scheme:

• The return journey must have the same passenger details as the onward journey.

• Tickets must be confirmed in both directions—no waitlist or RAC bookings are allowed.

• The 20% discount will only be given on the base fare of the return ticket, not the onward ticket.

• Both journeys must be for the same class of travel and the same origin-destination pair.

• No refunds will be allowed for tickets booked under this scheme.

• The scheme applies to all classes and all trains, including special trains, except those with a flexi fare system.

• Trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi, and Duronto, which use flexi fare, are excluded.

• No changes can be made to either journey after booking.

• Other discounts, travel coupons, passes, or vouchers will not be valid for these tickets.

• Both tickets must be booked through the same method—either both online or both at a ticket counter.

• If any fare difference arises during chart preparation, no extra charges will be collected for these tickets.

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Booking dates and travel period

The bookings for the scheme will open on August 14, 2025. The onward journey ticket must be for a travel date between October 13 and October 26, 2025. After booking the onward ticket, passengers can then book their return journey ticket for travel between November 17 and December 1, 2025, using the connecting journey feature.

The Ministry of Railways has clarified that the advance reservation period (ARP) dates of October 13 to October 26 apply only to the onward journey booking, not the return journey.

By introducing this offer, Indian Railways hopes to reduce crowding during the festive season, improve passenger convenience, and make better use of train services in both directions. This scheme is being launched on an experimental basis and could be continued if it proves successful.