Railways Offers Reduced Prices on Return Journey Tickets before the Festive Season Commences
The Indian Ministry of Railways unveiled the "Round Trip Package for Festival Rush" scheme on August 14, 2025, designed to provide a 20% rebate on the base fare of confirmed return tickets for travel during the festive season.
The scheme, aimed at easing passenger congestion and ensuring smoother travel during Diwali and Chhath festivals, will apply to both directions of travel, including special trains. However, it does not extend to the use of rail travel coupons, vouchers, passes, and PTOs for the discounted return trip.
To be eligible for the discount, passengers must book confirmed tickets for both onward and return journeys, with the onward journey scheduled between October 13 and October 26, 2025, and the return journey between November 17 and December 1, 2025. The usual advance reservation period (ARP) of 60 days does not apply for the return journey booking.
The return journey must be booked using the "connecting journey" feature within these dates, and both onward and return tickets must be booked using the same mode—either online or at the ticket counter. The scheme applies to all classes and trains, excluding those with flexi-fare pricing (e.g., Rajdhani, Tejas, Duronto, Shatabdi, Vande Bharat).
Under this experimental scheme, a 20% discount is granted only on the base fare of the return journey. No modifications are permitted on these tickets once booked, and no refund or partial refund is allowed. The corresponding return journey must be booked between November 17 and December 1, 2025, to qualify for the discount.
The Railway Board has directed zonal railways to ensure wide publicity through the press, media, and station announcements to inform passengers about the scheme. This initiative is intended to facilitate hassle-free bookings during peak festival travel, enhance utilization of trains in both directions, and manage passenger rush effectively during the festive season.
[1] Indian Ministry of Railways announces Festival Rush Round Trip Package scheme. (2025, August 14). Retrieved from [Link to the official press release] [2] Indian Railways to ease festive travel with discounted return fares. (2025, August 14). Retrieved from [Link to news article] [3] Indian Railways launches Festival Rush Round Trip Package scheme for hassle-free travel. (2025, August 14). Retrieved from [Link to another news article] [4] Indian Railways introduces Festival Rush Round Trip Package for peak travel periods. (2025, August 14). Retrieved from [Link to yet another news article] [5] Indian Ministry of Railways' Festival Rush Round Trip Package: All you need to know. (2025, August 15). Retrieved from [Link to comprehensive guide]
- To facilitate a convenient lifestyle for travelers during the Diwali and Chhath festivals, the Indian Ministry of Railways has launched the Festival Rush Round Trip Package scheme, offering a 20% rebate on return travel bookings.
- By taking advantage of the Festival Rush Round Trip Package scheme, travelers can enjoy a discounted travel cost and experience a smoother journey during the festive season, enhancing their overall travel lifestyle during this period.
