Indian Railways Round Trip Scheme Starts: Get 20% Off on Train Tickets; How to Book on IRCTC

Indian Railways has introduced a special Round Trip Scheme to simplify travel bookings during high-demand festival seasons. This initiative not only ensures hassle-free reservations but also helps in better utilisation of trains in both directions, including special trains. Passengers can now enjoy a 20% rebate on the base fare of their return tickets if booked under the scheme.

Understanding the Indian Railways Round Trip Scheme

The Round Trip Scheme by Indian Railways started on August 14, 2025. It is designed to ease the rush during festivals like Diwali and Chhath by allowing passengers to book both onward and return tickets under defined date windows. The scheme offers a 20% discount on the base fare of the return journey only.

Travel and Booking Dates

• Onward journey travel dates: 13 October 2025 – 26 October 2025
• Return journey travel dates: 17 November 2025 – 1 December 2025

Important: The onward ticket must be booked first. The return ticket can then be booked using the connecting journey feature within the specified return date window.

How to Book the Onward Journey Ticket

Here is a step-by-step guide to booking tickets from IRCTC: 

1. Visit IRCTC and choose “Trains” from the main navigation menu.
2. Select “Festival Round Trip Scheme” from the submenu or use the normal booking flow for travel dates between October 13 and October 26 2025.
3. Read the displayed information and terms carefully, then proceed.
4. Enter your journey details, including source and destination stations, travel date, and preferred class.
5. Complete the booking and note the PNR number displayed on the confirmation page.
6. On the confirmation page or in the “Booked Ticket History”, look for the option “Book Return Ticket (20% Discount)”.

How to Book the Return Journey Ticket

1. Click the “Book Return Ticket (20% Discount)” option from the onward journey confirmation page or booking history.
2. Ensure the source and destination stations are the same as in the onward ticket. Travel class and passenger list must also remain identical.
3. Choose your travel date between November 17 and December 1, 2025.
4. Select the preferred train and continue with the booking process.
5. Complete payment to confirm your ticket. The e-ticket will display both PNRs for onward and return journeys.

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Conclusion

The 20% rebate applies only to the base fare of the return ticket. Advance reservation period is not applicable for booking the return ticket under this scheme. Both onward and return journeys must originate from the same station pairing. The scheme is applicable for select trains, including special services during the festival period.

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