Circular Journey Ticket (CJT) is a journey ticket issued on passenger’s request when the travel is not in the normal route and follows the three cardinal principles.

a) It is not the shortest route

b) The distance exceeds by 15% of the shortest route and

c) Direct trains are not available on the said routes.

For a common man it’s like a traveller’s pass. If one intends to visit pan India on pilgrimage or sightseeing or for business this is IR’s tonic to all woes. These tickets offer unique flexibility like planned hopping, unlimited stay without losing the validity, upgradation to higher class, rescheduling of journey etc. Apart from this the passenger gets benefit of telescopic rates, which are considerably lower than regular point to point fare. Roughly one can expect a drop of more than 25% reduction in fares. Circular journey tickets cannot be purchased online so one has to approach a Railway station for the same. It is normally issued from nominated Railway Stations only.

 Types of CJT

Standard Circular Journey Ticket

                &

Non Standard Circular Journey Ticket

Few Railway Zones have earmarked popular tourist destinations within and outside the zone under Standard Circular Journey routes. These tour programmes are marked as numbers. These tour programmes are available in the  Zonal Time Tables and Zonal websites.

Non Standard Circular Journey Ticket

When a passenger plans his own itinerary following requisite Railway norms then CJT is called Non Standard Circular Journey Ticket.

Features and rules of Circular Journey Ticket

-  Journey should commence and end at the same station.

-  Repetition of stations in CJT is not prohibited. However the total number of stations which the passenger is required to advise for break journey shall not exceed the maximum number of stations mentioned in the rule.

Read : Repetition of stations in CJT : CC-31/2014 dt 04.08.14

-  Proper planning of itinerary is necessary. Which all places one would cover, where you are going to stay. Break of journey cannot be changed afterwards.

-  Passengers should indicate his journey starting date which is required to calculate his completion date.

-  Reservation fee is collected for each leg of journey but Superfast or Supplementary charge is collected only once.

-  CJT is a basic travel authority, it does not guarantee reserved seats or berths. Reservation for all the laps have to be made separately at the counter.

-  While booking, opening day ARP (Advance Reservation Period) ticket the system allows booking one hour after opening of general booking ie. at 9 Am.

-  CJT is now permitted in First AC of Rajdhani and Duronto and EC class of Shatabdi trains by paying difference of fare for distance travelled on point to point basis.

-  However CJT is not admissible in other flexi fare applicable classes of such trains and other trains in which variable fare is applicable.

Read Below : Issuance of CJT in First Ac in Raj and Duronto and EC in Shatabdi CC-41/2019 dt. 27.08.2019

-  CJT is now issued in all classes including AC and First Class.

-  Rate of GST shall be 5% of the total fare.

Read Below : Implementation of GST on transportation of passenger by rail CC-45/2018 dt. 24.08.2018

Circular Journey Ticket Fare Calculation

-  First distance of the entire Journey is calculated on point-to-point basis. Then the fare for half of the above distance is calculated and two times of that fare is collected from the passenger.

-  If tickets are issued to passengers by other than normal and reasonably direct routes longer than 15% of the shortest route then on such distances the telescopic benefit would not be applicable and normal fare would be applicable from point point between that particular two break journeys.

Read Below : Revision in CJT rule no. 205 CC-32/2013 dt. 22.04.2013

-  Reservation charges will be collected separately for each leg of journey.

-  Supplementary charge is collected once for the entire journey.

Concessions

-  Senior Citizen Concession 40% for male and 50 % for female is provided for tickets of more than 1000 km and Child ticket is charged half the adult ticket.

Validity of Circular Journey Ticket

-  For every 400 Kms or part thereof, treating one day as journey period total days of journey will be calculated.

-  For every 200 Kms or part thereof, treating one day as break journey period, days of break journey will be calculated.

-  Both are added to arrive at validity period.

Break Journey in Circular Journey Ticket

-  Break Journey rules are not applicable on CJT but maximum 8 break journeys are permitted for the entire journey.

-  The passenger will be required to put his signature with date on the ticket on commencement of journey However, a halt of less than 24 hours at a station to catch a connecting train is not treated as a break of journey,

-  Endorsement by SM or Ticket Checking Staff at every BJ point is not required.

How to get Circular Journey Ticket

Passengers have to fill a prescribed CJT application form or can write their itinerary details with Break Journey particulars in white paper and submit the same to CRS or CBS.

Passenger’s tour program will be scrutinized by the Chief Booking Supervisor or Chief Reservation Supervisor. The same will be approved by SMR or at notified stations by CBS / CRS themselves.

Presently Paper CJT tickets are not issued.

For reserved accommodation PRS CJT is issued. Calculation of fare, validity days are calculated by the system. All the details including passenger name, age, BJ particulars and completion date.

For unreserved CJT UTS ticket is issued.

Cancellation of Circular Journey Ticket

CJT can be cancelled before starting the journey. For the CJT normal cancellation charges apply. Full Reservation fee on all leg of journey is refunded without collecting any clerkage charges.