IRCTC Tourism
IRCTC tour packages for families: booking and payment
For an IRCTC tour package with a family, the rule that matters most is the payment schedule: part payment is allowed above Rs 50,000, and the tour is confirmed only after full payment. This guide sets out the package types, how to book, and the part payment rules exactly as the IRCTC Tourism home page states them, and says what we could not confirm about child pricing and cancellation terms.
Sourced 25 October 2026. We read the IRCTC Tourism home page linked below on 25 October 2026, including its booking FAQ and its part payment notice. Rules and prices change, so check the package page before you pay.
Working out what the whole trip will cost? Use the family trip budget calculator. Choosing a place first? Try the weekend getaway finder.
What IRCTC Tourism sells
The home page lists packages under domestic and international, and its menus name Bharat Gaurav, Buddhist Train, Tourist Train, Ferry, Heli Yatra, Trek and Charter. Its footer groups destinations as domestic tours, pilgrimage tours, international tours and pan-India tours by region. The booking FAQ says you can choose from land, air and rail tour packages.
A tour package, the FAQ says, is a complete product that includes services such as transport, accommodation and meals, and it can be customised with extras such as a tour guide or road transfers. The page does not list what a particular package includes. That is on each package page.
How to book an IRCTC tour package
- From the home page. The FAQ says to click Holidays on the home page, select Packages, choose from the land, air and rail packages and book online.
- By search. Below the search bar, select Domestic or International, click Search, and the site shows a list of packages.
- By destination. Alternatively, scroll to the bottom of the home page and choose a popular destination from the domestic and international lists.
Part payment and final payment rules from the IRCTC Tourism page
One row per rule. Every fact comes from the part payment notice on the linked home page, read on 25 October 2026.
| Rule | What the page says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who can pay in parts | Part payment is allowed for online booking when the package cost is above Rs 50,000 per transaction, for all packages. IRCTC registered users and guest users can use it online at the IRCTC Tourism site, and IRCTC counters can use it for walk-in customers. The page says agents are not authorised for online booking with part payment | IRCTC Tourism, sourced 25 October 2026 |
| How early you must book | The minimum advance reservation period for part payment is a booking made at least 35 days before the departure date | IRCTC Tourism, sourced 25 October 2026 |
| The two instalments | Part payment applies to the total booking amount, including GST, in 2 instalments. Domestic and international air packages are 30% first and 70% final. All other packages are 25% first and 75% final | IRCTC Tourism, sourced 25 October 2026 |
| Final payment deadline | If the final payment is not made at least 30 days before the departure date, the booking will be cancelled and cancellation charges will apply. For any cancellation and for part or final payment, days are counted excluding the date of departure | IRCTC Tourism, sourced 25 October 2026 |
| When the booking is confirmed | The tour confirmation number is generated only after full payment is received by IRCTC | IRCTC Tourism, sourced 25 October 2026 |
| Changing who travels | Partial cancellation of passengers is not allowed in part payment transactions. Only full cancellations are allowed on such transactions, with applicable cancellation charges | IRCTC Tourism, sourced 25 October 2026 |
What this means for a family
- Book early enough. Part payment needs a booking at least 35 days before departure, and the final instalment is due at least 30 days before departure.
- Settle the passenger list first. On a part payment booking you cannot remove one traveller later. Only the whole booking can be cancelled.
- Do not treat the first instalment as a confirmation. The page says the confirmation number comes only after full payment.
- Count back from departure. The page says days are counted excluding the date of departure.
Child pricing and what a package includes
The IRCTC Tourism home page states no child age bands, no child price, and no list of what a typical package includes. We state none either. Open the package you are considering and read its own page for child pricing, with or without a bed, and for what is included before you pay.
Cancellation terms
We do not publish a cancellation table or any cancellation charge. We could not read a cancellation schedule on an official page, so check the cancellation terms listed on the package page before you pay. That matters most if you plan to use part payment, since the page treats a missed final payment as a cancellation.
Places we could not confirm
We could not confirm these on an official page on 25 October 2026, so we say nothing about them: package prices, child age bands and child pricing, the inclusions of any named package, cancellation charges, and the FAQ and terms pages of the site, which did not show their text when we loaded them. We also do not cover the rules of luxury trains. Check each package page.
Plan the trip
- Total the costs with the family trip budget calculator.
- Pick by distance and month with the weekend getaway finder.
- Pack with the family packing list generator.
Ula, your AI travel companion, plans and books trips with your OK and remembers how you travel. It is in early access, and you can join the waitlist. The calculator, the finder and the packing list work without it.
What we left out
We left out package prices, child fares, cancellation charges, a ranking of packages, and any rule that the IRCTC Tourism page we read does not state.
Sources
- IRCTC Tourism home page, booking FAQ and part payment notice: irctctourism.com, sourced 25 October 2026
Questions
How do I book an IRCTC tour package?
The IRCTC Tourism FAQ says to click Holidays on the home page, select Packages, choose a land, air or rail package and book online. You can also select Domestic or International below the search bar and click Search. Sourced 25 October 2026.
Can I pay for an IRCTC tour package in two instalments?
The page says part payment is allowed for online booking when the package cost is above Rs 50,000 per transaction, in 2 instalments including GST, if you book at least 35 days before departure. Sourced 25 October 2026.
What are the part payment percentages?
The page says air packages are 30% first and 70% final, and all other packages are 25% first and 75% final. Sourced 25 October 2026.
When is the final payment due?
At least 30 days before the departure date, with days counted excluding the departure date. If it is missed, the page says the booking is cancelled and charges apply. The tour confirmation number is generated only after full payment. Sourced 25 October 2026.
What are the cancellation charges for an IRCTC tour package?
We do not state them, because we could not confirm a schedule on an official page. Read the cancellation terms listed on the package page before you pay. On a part payment booking, the page says only a full cancellation is allowed.