​​​​​​​Indian Railways Launches ‘Round Trip Package’ to Ease Festive Rush, Offers 20% Discount on Return Tickets

National News: During major festivals across India, railway stations often witness massive crowds, with many passengers traveling thousands of kilometers while standing. To address this issue and ensure safer, more comfortable journeys, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced a new scheme—the Round Trip Package—offering a 20% discount on return fares when passengers book tickets for both onward and return journeys together.

Objective of the Scheme

The “Round Trip Package for Festival Rush” has been introduced to reduce heavy passenger congestion during festive periods. By offering cheaper fares for those booking both journeys together, the scheme aims to spread travel over different dates, ensuring better seat availability and more comfortable travel experiences.

Who Can Avail the Discount?

According to the Railways, the 20% discount will apply to the base fare of the return journey under the following conditions:

• The same passenger name and details must appear on both tickets.
• Both tickets must be for the same class and the same origin-destination pair (O-D pair).
• The onward journey should be between 13 October and 26 October 2025, and the return journey between 17 November and 1 December 2025.

Important Conditions

Passengers must first book the onward ticket, followed by the return ticket using the connecting journey feature.

• The Advance Reservation Period (ARP) rule will not apply to return tickets.
• Both tickets must be confirmed; changes or cancellations will not be allowed.
• No refund facility will be available.
• Other discounts, vouchers, passes, PTOs, or travel coupons cannot be combined with this offer.
• The offer is valid for all classes and trains, including special trains (Trains on Demand), but not for trains with Flexi Fare.
• Both tickets must be booked through the same channel—either online or at a reservation counter.
• If fare differences occur at the time of chart preparation, passengers will not be charged extra.

Purpose Behind the Initiative

Minister Vaishnaw stated that this initiative will help distribute passenger movement across different days during festivals, ensuring optimal utilization of special trains in both directions. The Railways has instructed officials to promote the scheme extensively through media, press releases, and announcements at stations to ensure passengers are well-informed.