Provision of discount to customers of suburban sections on booking of season tickets when payment is made through digital means
Suburban Train Ticket Fare Discount
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(RAILWAY BOARD)
Commercial Circular No. 01 of 2025
No.TC 11 / 2910 / 2025 / Discounted fare / digital payment (3340406)
New Delhi, dt 22.01.2025
The Principal Chief Commercial Managers,
All Zonal Railways
SUB: Provision of discount of 0.5% to customers of suburban sections on booking of season tickets when payment is made through digital means.
REF: 1. Commercial Circular no. 16 of 2025 dated 07.02.2025.
2. Commercial Circular no. 29 of 2025 dated 24.04.2025.
3. Commercial Circular no. 47 of 202 dated 30.06.2025.
4. Commercial Circular no. 65 of 2025 dated 29.09.2025.
5. Commercial Circular no. 19 of 2025 dated 28.03.2025.
6. Commercial Circular no. 48 of 2025 dated 06.09.2025.
7. Commercial Circular no. 20 of 2025 dated 08.04.2025.
8. Commercial Circular no. 42 of 2025 dated 30.08.2025.
9. Commercial Circular no. 11 of 2025 dated 03.03.2025.
Vide Railway Board’s Commercial Circulars under reference above, 0.5% discount was given on total applicable fare on Season Tickets (Monthly, Quarterly, Half Yearly and Yearly) over suburban section when the payment is made through digital means
1. e through debit cards, credit cards, etc. These instructions are applicable up to 31.03.2025.
2. The matter has been reviewed and Ministry of Railways have now decided that the status quo may be maintained further for a period of another one year i.e. up to. 31.03.2025 or any change whichever is earlier.
3. CRIS and IRCTC shall ensure necessary changes in the software and arrangements for the above.
4. The receipt of this letter may be acknowledged.
5. This issues with concurrence of Finance Directorate of Ministry of Railways.
sd/-
(Vipul Singhal)
Director Passenger Marketing
Railway Board
Source: https://indianrailways.gov.in/
Indian Railways provides a 0.5% discount on the base fare of suburban season tickets (monthly, quarterly, half‑yearly, yearly) when payment is made through digital modes like debit cards, credit cards, UPI (BHIM), e-wallets, etc.
Contents
✅ Key Provisions: Discount on Season Tickets
Digital Payment Discount
- A 0.5% concession on the base fare only of season tickets (City/MST, QST, HST, YST) issued for suburban zones, applied only if payment is made digitally. Other surcharges such as MUTP, mela surcharge, GST, etc., are applied after the discount
- Introduced initially via a Railway Board Commercial Circular effective from 1 January 2025, and extended annually—with the latest extension confirmed up to 31 March 2025.
Applicable Payment Methods
- Digital payments include debit & credit cards, UPI, Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AePS), e-wallets, and USSD transactions—used via UTS apps, counters, or ticket vending machines.
🧾 Discount Illustration
If a monthly suburban season ticket’s base fare is ₹1,000:
- Digital payment discount = ₹5 (0.5%) → Net base fare = ₹995
- Additional duties (surcharges, taxes, GST) added on ₹995
- No discount on those surcharges
ℹ️ Limitations & Further Notes
- Only for suburban season tickets—no discount applies to general ticket fares, reserved train tickets, or non-suburban passes.
- The offer is valid for both online and counter booking, provided digital mode is used.
- As of 2025, the discount was still active under a renewed Circular, but further renewals beyond March 2025 are not officially confirmed.
🧠 Community Feedback (from Reddit & public)
- Passengers have reconfirmed use of UTS app for season ticket purchase and accept digital payments. However, no discussion of more recent discount expiries in user threads.
- Others confirm that IRCTC/Indian Railways generally don’t run promotional offers, especially beyond season ticket concessions from official circulars.
📋 Summary Table
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Applicable Ticket | Suburban Season Ticket (MST/QST/HST/YST) |
| Discount Offered | 0.5% off base fare |
| Eligibility | Payment via digital modes (cards, UPI, e-wallets, AePS) |
| Limitations | Not for regular tickets, no discount on surcharges/taxes |
| Official Validity | Confirmed up to Mar 31, 2025 |
ℹ️ Recommendation
- When buying suburban season tickets, always use digital payment methods via UTS app or counter to avail the 0.5% discount.
- Confirm that the booking system applies the concession—look for a fare display showing base fare after discount.
- For current validity beyond March 2025, ask at railway counters or refer to the latest Commercial Circulars or IRCTC/UTS updates.
If you’d like guidance on using the UTS app, or calculating a specific fare including this discount, just let me know!