To help passengers travelling home during festivals such as Diwali and Durga Puja, Indian Railways announced a 20% discount on return tickets when booked together. This scheme targets those who book both onward and return journeys in one go, offering some relief amid the usual rush and difficulty in securing tickets during peak season.
Key Conditions for Availing the Discount
Same Train for Return Journey: Passengers must book the return ticket on the same train as the onward journey. For example, if you travel on Ahmedabad-Barauni Express (Train No. 19484), the return ticket must be on Barauni-Ahmedabad Express (Train No. 19483) to qualify for the discount.
Matching Ticket Details: Source and destination stations for both trips must match exactly. Additionally, passenger details like name, age, travel distance, and travel class (Sleeper, 3AC, 2AC) must be identical on both tickets.
Simultaneous Booking: Both tickets must be booked together, and the details must be consistent to avail of the 20 percent discount.
Booking and Exclusions
Booking Start Date: Passengers can start booking tickets under this scheme from August 14, 2025.
Exclusions: The discount will not apply to trains operating on a flexi-fare or dynamic pricing system such as Shatabdi Express, Rajdhani Express, Duronto Express, Suvidha Express, Vande Bharat Express, and Tejas Express.
Inclusions: The offer covers most other trains, including on-demand festive special trains.
Important Terms and Conditions
- No refunds will be issued on cancellation of tickets booked under this discount scheme.
- Corrections or changes to the ticket after booking are not permitted.
- No additional discounts, coupons, or vouchers can be combined with this offer.
- Both tickets must be booked through the same platform, either online or at railway counters.
- The discount strictly excludes all trains with dynamic pricing models.
This move by Indian Railways aims to incentivise round-trip bookings during busy festive travel periods, helping to manage crowding and ease passenger planning amid heavy demand. Travellers are encouraged to review the conditions carefully before availing of the offer.
