**Policy Summary: Ministry of Railways Round Trip Package for Diwali/Chhath Vacations**
**Purpose:** To manage passenger traffic during the Diwali and Chhath Puja festival season by incentivizing round trip bookings and distributing travel demand over a wider period.
**Scheme Details:** The Ministry of Railways is launching an experimental "Round Trip Package" offering a 20% rebate on the base fare of the return journey. This package aims to encourage passengers to book round trips, ensuring better utilization of trains, including special trains, in both directions.
**Eligibility and Conditions:**
* The rebate applies only when both onward and return journeys are booked for the same passengers, with identical passenger details for both journeys.
* Booking starts on August 14, 2025, for onward journeys commencing between October 13, 2025, and October 26, 2025. The return journey must be booked using the connecting journey feature for travel between November 17, 2025, and December 1, 2025.
* The standard 60-day Advance Reservation Period (ARP) is not applicable for the discounted return journey tickets.
* Bookings are permissible only for confirmed tickets in both directions.
* The booking must be for the same class and origin-destination (OD) pair for both legs of the journey.
* No fare refunds are permitted for tickets booked under this scheme.
* The scheme is applicable across all classes and train types, including special trains and Trains on Demand, excluding trains with Flexi fares.
* No modifications are allowed on tickets booked under this scheme for either journey.
* Existing discounts, rail travel coupons, voucher-based bookings, passes, or PTOs are not admissible during the return journey booking under this concessional fare.
* Both onward and return journey tickets must be booked using the same mode: either online or at reservation counters.
* No additional fare collection will be performed if any arises during charting for these PNRs.
**Implementation Period:**
* Booking Start Date: August 14, 2025
* Onward Journey Dates: October 13, 2025 – October 26, 2025
* Return Journey Dates: November 17, 2025 – December 1, 2025
**Contact:**
* Dharmendra Tewari
* Dr. Nayan Solanki
* Ritu Raj
* PIB Delhi
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Railways: The government ministry responsible for the railways in India.
Diwali: A major Hindu festival, often a time for family gatherings and travel.
Chhath: An ancient Hindu festival celebrated in India.
Round Trip Package: An experimental scheme by the Ministry of Railways offering a 20% rebate on the base fare of return journeys during the festival season to manage crowd and ensure train utilization.
13th to 26th October: The period for the onward journey under the Round Trip Package scheme.
17th November to 1st December 2025: The period for the return journey under the Round Trip Package scheme.
Dharmendra Tewari: An individual mentioned in the document, likely associated with the press release or the railway ministry.
Dr. Nayan Solanki: An individual mentioned in the document, likely associated with the press release or the railway ministry.
Ministry of Railways
Good News For People Who Wish to Avail 5 Week
Break From Work with Family During Diwali &
Chhath Vacations
Railway Launches 20 % Rebate on Base Fare of
Return Journey For a Round Trip Package to Spread
Out Crowd
Launch on Experimental Basis, the Bookings For
Round Trip Package Begins From 14th August For
Onward Journey From 13th to 26th October
Current Advance Reservation Period of 60 Days Not
Applicable For Discounted Return Journey Tickets
Booked For 17th November to 1st December 2025
Posted On: 09 AUG 2025 11:45AM by PIB Delhi
In order to avoid rush, ensure hassle free booking as well as to facilitate passengers and redistribute the peak
traffic for larger range during peak festival seasons and ensure both side utilization of trains including special
trains, it has been decided to formulate an experimental scheme named as Round Trip Package for festival rush
on discounted fare. This scheme will be applicable for those passengers who chooses their return journey during
the prescribed period as detailed below:
(i) Under this scheme, rebates shall be applicable when booked for both onward and return journey
for the same set of passengers. Passenger details of return journey will be same as of onward
journey.
(ii) Booking start date shall be 14.08.2025 for the ARP date 13th October 2025. Onward ticket shall
be booked first for the train start date between 13th October 2025 and 26th October 2025 and
subsequently return journey ticket shall be booked by using connecting journey feature for the train
start date between 17th November and 1st December 2025. Advance reservation period will not be
applicable for booking of return journey.
(iii) The above booking shall be permissible only for confirmed tickets in both directions.
(iv) Total rebates of 20% shall be granted on base fare of return journey only.(v) Booking under this scheme shall be for the same class and same O-D pair for both onward and
return journey.
(vi) No refund of fare shall be permissible for the tickets booked under this scheme.
(vii) The above scheme shall be allowed for all classes and in all trains including special trains
(Trains on demand) except trains having Flexi fare.
(viii) No modification will be allowed on these ticket in either of the journey.
(ix) No discounts, Rail travel coupons, Voucher based bookings, Passes or PTOs etc. shall be
admissible during return journey booking on concessional fare.
(x) Both onward and return journey tickets must be booked using the same mode either:
Internet (online) booking, or
(cid:108)
Counter booking at reservation offices
(cid:108)
(xi) No additional fare collection will be performed if any arises during charting for these PNRs.
*****
Dharmendra Tewari/ Dr. Nayan Solanki/ Ritu Raj
(Release ID: 2154572)