25% Discount on Ticket Fares for AC Chair Cars and Executive Class
Discount scheme on the vacant seats in trains having sitting accommodation of AC Chair Car and Executive Class
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(RAILWAY BOARD)
Commercial Circular No. 22 of 2025
No.TC 11/2910/2025/Discounted Fares
New Delhi, dated: 28.09.2025
The Principal Chief Commercial Managers,
All Zonal Railways
Sub: Discount scheme on the vacant seats in trains having sitting accommodation of AC Chair Car and Executive class.
Ref: 1. Commercial Circular No. 40 of 2025 dated 27.08.2025.
2. Commercial Circular No. 18 of 2025 dated 10.07.2025
In continuation of above, Ministry of Railways have decided that the currency of instructions regarding discounted scheme on the vacant seats in trains having sitting accommodation of AC Chair car and Executive class shall be extended for a further period of one year i.e. up to 30.09.2025.
2. Other terms and conditions shall remain the same.
3. This issues with the concurrence of Finance (Commercial) Directorate of the Ministry of Railways.
sd/-
(Rohit Kumar)
Deputy Director Passenger Marketing-Ill
Railway Board
Contents
Discount train fare in vacant seats
Discount scheme on the vacant seats in trains having sitting accommodation of AC chair Car and Executive class
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(RAILWAY BOARD)
Commercial Circular No. 40 of 2025
No.TC II/2910/2025/Discounted Fares
New Delhi, dated 27.08.2025
The Principal Chief Commercial Managers,
All Zonal Railways
Managing Director, KRCL
Sub: Discount scheme on the vacant seats in trains having sitting accommodation of AC chair Car and Executive class.
With a view to improve occupancy in trains, Ministry of Railways have decided to delegate powers to Principal Chief Commercial Managers of Zonal Railways to introduce discounted fare scheme in trains with sitting accommodation of AC chair car and EC, subject to following
1. Applicability:
i. The scheme shall be applicable for all trains with AC chair car and Executive chair car accommodation like, Shatabdi, Gatimaan, Tejas, Double Decker, Intercity trains etc,
ii. Discount of up to 25% discount shall be given on the base fare. Reservation fee, superfast charge, GST, etc, as applicable shall be levied separately.
iii. Trains with monthly occupancy less than 50% in the previous year are eligible for discount. Competitive fare should be a criterion while deciding quantum of discount.
iv. Discount in fare can be given for the first leg of journey and/or last leg of journey and/or intermediate sections and/or end to end journey.
v. Discounted fare can be given for the full years or part of year or month wise or seasonal or for weekdays/ weekend.
vi. Catering, if any, shall be optional for trains with discounted fare.
2. Impact on previous schemes/discounts / concessions:
i. Further, graded discount (as in cash of Shatabdi train) and 10% discount after first chart preparation shall not be permitted in trains/ section of journey with discounted fare.
ii. Flexi fare, if applicable, shall not be applicable in trains/ section of journey with discounted fare
iii. Concessional tickets, tickets on PTOs, as per rule may be issued on the existing fare and not on the revised discounted fare.
iv. Tatkal quota shall not be earmarked in trains/ section of journey with discounted fare. Tatkal charges shall not be levied on the discounted fare.
v. The applicability of existing discounted scheme in following trains shall continue as per the existing discount principle
- 12007/12008 Chennai-Central Mysuru Shatabdi Express over Bengaluru-Mysuru-Bengaluru section,
- 12010 Ahmedabad-Mumbai Central Shatabdi trains over Ahmedabad-Vadodara section,
- 12042 New Jalpaiguri-Howrah Shatabdi Express over New Jalpaiguri-Malda Town section
3. For trains with inter-zonal O-D pairs/ destinations, discount in fare may be given in consultation with the PCCMs of other Zonal Railways / Managing Director in case of KRCL.
4. Zonal Railways shall make special efforts to review the occupancy of all applicable trains with composition CC & EC and examine as per above mentioned criteria for implementation of discounted scheme by 30.09.2025. If found feasible, the same shall be implemented w.e.f applicable Advance Reservation Period for the train on an experimental basis for an initial period of six months.
5. Further based on the comparative occupancy and earnings for the first four months of the implementation of the scheme, a report shall be sent to this office for further extension, if any, of scheme beyond six months.
6. A comparison for occupancy and earnings shall be made between implementation period vis-a-vis corresponding period of previous year,
7. CRIS shall make necessary changes in the software for the implementation of the scheme.
8. Kindly acknowledge receipt of this letter and check the instructions on the Indian Railways website www.indianrailways.gov.in under the head commercial circulars.
9. This issues with the concurrence of Finance Directorate of Ministry of Railways,
10. COM (PM)s in coordination with CPRO shall ensure wide publicity through print and electronic media, at stations through public announcements, notice boards, railway websites, etc.
11. This disposes off KRCL’s letters dated 10.09.2025 & 25.10.2025 and SR’s letter dated 03.10.2025 regarding discounted fare scheme.
(Neeraj Sharma)
Executive Director Passenger Marketing
Railway Board
Source: indianrailways.gov.in
Yes — Indian Railways currently offers a discount of up to 25% on base fares for AC Chair Car (CC) and Executive Chair Car (EC) classes in select trains, under specific conditions:
🎟️ How the Discount Scheme Works
- Introduced in July 2025, the scheme allows up to 25% discount on the base fare (reservation charges, superfast surcharge, and GST are extra) for AC sitting classes across trains including Vande Bharat, Shatabdi, Tejas, Anubhuti, and Vistadome
- Eligibility is limited to:
- Trains where occupancy in AC Chair/Executive class has remained below 50% over the preceding 30 days.
- Discounts may apply to full journeys or specific legs where low occupancy is observed
- Implementation is handled by each Zonal Railway, with provisions to activate the scheme for up to six months, adjustable based on demand
- Already booked passengers won’t receive refunds if fares have dropped after booking
- Not applicable on special trains (those designated for festivals or emergencies)
🔍 Practical Terms & Conditions
| Criterion | Details |
|---|---|
| Fare Discount | Up to 25% off base fare for AC Chair/Executive classes |
| Eligibility Condition | Occupancy below 50% in last 30 days in applicable class |
| Other Charges | Reservation fee, superfast charges, GST, and catering charges apply |
| Refunds | No refund if booking made before discount applied |
| Tatkal & Flexi Fare | Tatkal, flexi fare and graded discounts suspended on discounted legs |
| Applicability | Only in non-special trains, for full trips or defined segments |
| Implementation Duration | Up to six months per zone-train; adjustable by PCCM |
✅ Is This Scheme Active Now?
- Yes — the scheme is valid now and continues in effect.
- Railway zones actively monitor AC sitting class occupancy, and may apply or withdraw discounts dynamically depending on passenger load.
- For instance, some Vande Bharat routes with low occupancy or newer sections have been reported offering discounts in mid‑2025
- Zones like Northern and Western Railways are leveraging their delegated powers to implement the discount on eligible routes.
🧾 What Should You Do?
- When booking AC Chair Car or Executive Chair Class tickets, especially on intercity or premium routes, look for fare reductions in IRCTC or railway apps.
- The discount covers only the base fare; other applicable charges remain at standard rates.
- Special trains (e.g. Holi or Diwali specials) are not eligible for this scheme.
- If occupancy improves above 50%, the discount is removed (often within weeks)—keep an eye on price changes throughout bookable periods.
💬 Quick Recap
- ✅ Up to 25% off base fare on AC Chair/Executive classes when occupancy <50%.
- ⚠️ Not valid on special/single-trip festival trains.
- 🧳 Reservation charges, GST, etc. still apply.
- 🚫 No refund if discount is applied after booking.
- ⏳ Valid on select routes under zone-reviewed, time-limited terms.
Would you like help checking whether a specific train you’re planning to book qualifies for this discount or estimate your final fare including charges?