From Temples To Tourist Spots: How To Travel India On A Single Train Ticket

Planning a trip to multiple destinations is exciting, but it can quickly become overwhelming. Imagine hopping from city to city, visiting temples, historical sites, or tourist hotspots, and having to buy separate train tickets for each leg. Suddenly, your fun trip turns into a juggling act of checking train timings, seat availability, and fares. It eats up your time and energy, leaving you stressed instead of relaxed. Luckily, Indian Railways has a solution that makes travelling to several destinations way simpler: the Circular Journey Ticket.

What Are Circular Journey Tickets?

A Circular Journey Ticket (CJT) is issued at the passenger's request for travel that doesn't follow a normal, direct route. Instead of buying multiple tickets, you can plan a route that starts and ends at the same station, covering several destinations along the way. Example - a circular journey from New Delhi to Kanyakumari could pass through Mathura, Mumbai, Goa, Bengaluru, Mysuru, Ooty, and Thiruvananthapuram, before returning to New Delhi. It is a journey of 7,550 km valid for 56 days.

It is governed by three main rules:

• The route is not the shortest route between the origin and destination.
• The distance travelled exceeds the shortest route by at least 15 per cent.
• Direct trains are not available on the chosen route.

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Benefits Of Circular Journey Tickets

Think of CJT as a "traveller's pass" for pan-India journeys, perfect for sightseeing, pilgrimages, or business trips. These tickets allow:

• Planned hopping between multiple destinations
• Unlimited stay at stopovers without losing validity
• Upgradation to higher-class travel
• Rescheduling of journey dates
• Benefits of telescopic fares - often reducing costs by more than 25 per cent.

Types Of Circular Journey Tickets

• Standard CJT: Issued for popular tourist or pilgrimage routes pre-defined by certain Railway Zones. These routes are listed in Zonal Time Tables and on Zonal Railway websites.
• Non-Standard CJT: Issued when a passenger plans their own itinerary within the railway rules. This allows full customisation of stops and travel plans.

Key Features And Rules Of CJT

• Travel must start and end at the same station.
• Repetition of stations is allowed, but the total number of break journeys cannot exceed the maximum permitted.
• Proper itinerary planning is required; breaks or stops cannot be changed once issued.
• The start date of the journey must be mentioned to calculate the completion date.
• Reservation fees are collected for each leg of the journey, while superfast or supplementary charges are collected only once.
• CJT is a travel authority but does not guarantee reserved seats or berths. Reservations must be made separately for each leg.
• Booking for First AC of Rajdhani/Duronto and Executive Class of Shatabdi is allowed with point-to-point fare adjustment. Other flexible fare classes are not permitted.
• CJT is now available for all classes, including AC and First Class.

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Fare Calculation In Circular Journey Tickets

• Total journey distance is first calculated on a point-to-point basis. Fare is computed for half the distance and then doubled.
• If the route exceeds the shortest route by more than 15 per cent, telescopic fare benefits do not apply for those segments.
• Reservation charges are collected for each leg, but supplementary charges are applied only once.

Concessions And Benefits Of Circular Journey Tickets

• Senior Citizens: 40 per cent concession for males, 50 per cent for females (minimum distance 1,000 km)
• Children: Half the adult fare
• Telescopic fares: Typically 25 per cent cheaper than regular point-to-point tickets.
• Flexibility for stops, unlimited stay, class upgradation, and rescheduling.

Validity And Break Journey Rules

• The ticket's validity depends on distance: 1 day for every 400 km of travel and 1 day for every 200 km of a break journey.
• You can have a maximum of 8 break journeys during your trip.
• You only need to sign the ticket at the start of your journey.
• Short stops under 24 hours to catch a connecting train don't count as a break.
• You don't need endorsements at every stop.

How To Book A Circular Journey Ticket

Circular tickets cannot be purchased directly; you must submit your itinerary and get it approved first.

• Plan Your Itinerary: Decide all stops and the route you want to take.
• Contact Railway Officials: Approach the Divisional Commercial Manager of your starting station's division or the Station Manager at a major station. They calculate the ticket cost.
• Get The Ticket Form: Present the prescribed form at your starting station's booking office to purchase the circular ticket.
• Reserve Accommodation: After purchasing the ticket, reserve seats for each leg at the reservation office.

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Cancellation Rules For Circular Journey Tickets

• CJT can be cancelled before the journey starts.
• Normal cancellation charges apply.
• Full reservation fees for all legs are refunded without clerkage charges.

Circular Journey Tickets are a convenient, cost-effective way to explore multiple destinations without the stress of multiple bookings.