Circular Journey Tickets: Telescopic discounted tickets covering multi-city vacation loops with up to 8 layovers.

Circular Journey Tickets: The Ultimate Multi-City Pass

Indian Railways' Circular Journey Ticket (CJT) is a specialized offline booking facility designed for tourists, backpackers, and pilgrims embarking on multi-city tours. It allows you to begin and end your trip at the exact same station while taking a massive, continuous loop around the country.

The Core Advantage: Telescopic Fares

Indian Railways operates on a "telescopic fare" system—the longer the distance you travel, the cheaper the per-kilometer cost becomes.

 If you book a 5-city vacation point-to-point, the fare calculation resets to zero at every single stop, making it expensive. With a CJT, your entire looping itinerary is added together, cut in half, and charged as just two long single journeys. This preserves the telescopic benefit and can save you significantly on base fares compared to booking individual legs.

The 8-Layover Rule & Key Conditions

• 8 Break Journeys: You are permitted up to 8 official "break journeys" (stopovers) where you can stay for multiple days before catching your next train. 

• Halt vs. Break: A layover of under 24 hours just to catch a connecting train does not count against your 8 allowed breaks. 

• No Retracing Steps: You cannot travel over the same geographical section of track twice (e.g., Delhi-Jaipur-Delhi). It must be a true circular loop. An ordinary return trip (or one up to 15% longer than the shortest route) does not qualify. 

• No Station Endorsements: Unlike standard single tickets where you must get a Station Master to physically sign your ticket during a break journey, CJT holders are exempt from this requirement.

 

Ticket Validity Calculation

Your ticket is valid for a generous block of time, calculated strictly by your total distance.

• Travel Time: 1 day added for every 400 km traveled. 

• Layover Time: 1 day added for every 200 km traveled.

 

Example: A 4,000 km loop would give you 10 travel days plus 20 layover days, meaning you have 30 days to complete the entire trip at your own pace.

How to Book a Custom Itinerary

Booking a custom CJT is a manual, offline process. You cannot do this directly on the IRCTC website.

 

1.Draft & Approve Itinerary:Must be done at a major station.

Plan your exact route and present it to the Divisional Commercial Manager (DCM) or Station Manager of your originating station. They will verify the route, calculate the total distance, and issue an approval format.

2.Purchase the Master Ticket:

Take the approved form to the booking counter and pay the calculated base fare. You will receive a master Circular Journey Ticket. This acts as your pass, but does not guarantee a seat.

3.Reserve Your Seats:Subject to advance reservation limits.

Take your master ticket to the Reservation Office. You must individually book confirmed seats/berths for each leg of your journey. You will pay the specific reservation fees and superfast surcharges for each train at this stage.

(Note: Zonal Railways also offer pre-approved "Standard Circular Routes" for popular tourist circuits. If one fits your plans, you can skip Step 1 and purchase it directly at nominated stations.)

 

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