Indian Railways unveils festive round trip discount scheme to ease holiday rush

LUCKNOW: In a move to manage the surge in passenger traffic during the upcoming festive season, the Ministry of Railways has introduced a special discount scheme titled Round Trip Package for Festival Rush.

This initiative aims to streamline bookings and optimize train utilization during peak travel periods.Starting August 14, passengers can book round-trip tickets for journeys between October 13 and October 26 (onward) and November 17 to December 1 (return). The scheme offers a 20% rebate on the base fare of the return journey, provided both legs are booked together for the same set of passengers, class, and origin-destination pair.To qualify, tickets must be confirmed in both directions and booked using the same mode—either online or at reservation counters. Important to note, no refunds or modifications will be allowed, and the scheme excludes trains with flexi fares. The scheme is applicable across all classes and includes special trains.The Railway Board emphasizes that this experimental scheme is designed to reduce congestion, ensure hassle-free travel, and maximize train capacity during the festive rush. It also encourages passengers to plan their travel in advance, thereby distributing traffic more evenly across the season.“Software updates and coordination with IRCTC and CRIS are also underway to support seamless implementation,” said an official source.

Key highlights of the scheme include: