Railways launches ‘Round Trip Package’ to ease festival rush; offers 20% concession

New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Railways has unveiled an experimental scheme — Round Trip Package — designed to ease congestion and incentivise advance bookings for the upcoming Diwali and Chhath festivals.

Bookings for the scheme will open on August 14, said a Ministry official on Saturday.

Under the scheme, passengers booking both onward and return journeys within designated windows will be eligible for a 20% concession on the base fare of the return leg. The initiative is aimed at encouraging family travel and extended holiday plans.

Onward journeys must fall between October 13 and October 26, while return trips can be reserved between November 17 and December 1, using the ‘connecting journey’ feature, said the official about the key feature of the scheme.

The standard Advance Reservation Period (ARP) of 60 days will not be applicable for return tickets booked under this offer.

According to the official, several conditions will govern the scheme. Only confirmed tickets will be considered valid in both directions, and the same class and origin-destination (O-D) pair must be maintained for the round trip. Refunds will not be permitted for tickets booked under the scheme.

"The concession applies to all classes and trains — including special services — except those operating under the Flexi Fare system. No additional charges will be levied during charting for these PNRs. However, the use of other promotional offers, coupons, passes, or loyalty discounts will not be permitted alongside this scheme," said the official.

Both legs of the journey must be booked through the same channel — either online or at physical reservation counters.

Officials expressed hope that the initiative will help disperse peak traffic more evenly across the holiday period, mitigate last-minute rush, and offer a more comfortable travel experience for festival-bound families.