Travel Guides & Articles
Cheaper Air Tickets, Affordable Hotels: Check New GST Rates Before Planning Your Festive Travel Across India

In its 56th meeting on 3 September 2025, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, approved major changes to indirect tax rates. These revised rates will take effect from 22 September 2025. The decisions cover hotels, air travel, restaurants, and even luxury transport like private jets and yachts.
Hotel Stays Become More Affordable
For travelers booking mid-range hotels, the GST on rooms priced between ₹1,001 and ₹7,500 a night has been cut from 12% to 5%. This means a room costing ₹4,500 will now carry a tax of only ₹225 instead of ₹540.
- Rooms below ₹1,000 remain tax-free.
- Rooms above ₹7,500 continue to attract 18% GST.
Tourism operators believe this will encourage more domestic travel, especially during the upcoming festive season when hotels are in high demand.
Economy Air Travel Gets Cheaper, Premium Costs More
Passengers flying economy will now pay only 5% GST, down from 12%. This means a typical Pune-to-Delhi round trip could cost less during Navratri and Diwali. However, business, premium economy, and first-class tickets will now be taxed at 18%, up from 12%.
Finance experts clarify that the tax rate depends on the booking date. If tickets are booked before 22 September, the old GST rates apply, even if the journey takes place later.
Restaurants See Lower Tax
Dining out will also cost less. Restaurants that earlier charged 12–18% GST will now collect just 5%. For families planning meals outside during the festive season, this is expected to give a small relief. Wedding planners and caterers also welcome the move, as lower GST on food services can help reduce event budgets.
Luxury Travel Faces Higher Tax
While middle-class travellers benefit, luxury transport will become more expensive. Private jets, helicopters, and yachts will now attract a 40% GST, compared to the earlier 28% plus 3% cess. The Council has signaled that those who can afford such luxury items should contribute more in taxes. Premium air tickets for business and first-class travelers are also part of this higher-tax category.
Boost for Tourism and Hospitality
Economists believe these changes will support the services sector, especially tourism and hospitality, which were hit hard by the pandemic. Cheaper hotel rooms, economy flights, and restaurant meals are likely to encourage more domestic travel and consumer spending during the festive period.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only. Actual costs may vary depending on travel dates, hotel policies, ticketing terms, and other factors. Travellers are advised to check updated booking conditions before making payments.
Travel Guides & Articles
Travel Meerut To Prayagraj In JUST 6 Hours News24 –

The work of the Ganga Expressway, being constructed from Meerut to Prayagraj is now moving towards completion. Especially in the Hasanpur tehsil of the Amroha district, this expressway has been completely completed. Now, only the final work is going on, which is almost complete. It is expected that vehicles will start running on this route in the coming month.
The construction of a 23.60 km-long expressway in the Hasanpur area is planned to be completed by 12 October 2025, although road construction and lighting work have already been completed here. The work of laying a pipeline for drainage of rainwater has also been completed.
An overbridge and T-point have been prepared on the Hasanpur-Rahra road in Mangrola. Four toll plazas have also been built on both sides of this T-point. Apart from this, the construction of the bridge over the Ganga River in Pandapur has also been completed.
Officials say that some finishing work was stopped due to rain, which will be completed within the next one month. At the same time, sources say that the 594 km-long Ganga Expressway extending from Meerut to Prayagraj will be opened in the month of November, as reported by Jagran.
With the opening of the expressway, it will become very easy to cover the distance from Meerut to Prayagraj. People of Amroha will also get convenience in traveling to both the cities. This route will prove to be very useful for the devotees coming to the Tigri fair from Prayagraj and nearby districts. Also, devotees of Meerut, Hapur and Amroha will now be able to reach Sangam bath easily.
Apart from this, lawyers and litigants of western Uttar Pradesh will get great relief in reaching the Prayagraj High Court. They will be able to leave their home in the morning and return the same day after pleading their case in Prayagraj, as per media reports.
Travel Guides & Articles
A grown-up guide to India: How to ace the Golden Triangle and Mumbai – London Evening Standard

A grown-up guide to India: How to ace the Golden Triangle and Mumbai London Evening Standard
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Travel Guides & Articles
Delhi’s Bhai Dooj gift: Pink Card registration to begin from mid October; free bus travel for women

The Delhi government is set to launch the registration process for its Pink Card, a lifetime free bus travel pass for women, from mid-October, as a Bhai Dooj gift to the women of the national capital.According to a senior transport department official, the Pink Card will be valid for a lifetime and aims to make public transport easier and more accessible. The initiative will replace the existing paper-based ticket system with the ‘Saheli Smart Card’, described as a permanent and personalised pass designed to provide women with unrestricted and secure travel on government-run buses.He said registration for the card is expected to begin in October, allowing “Delhi’s daughters and sisters to avail unlimited free travel as a token of the government’s commitment towards their welfare.” The exact launch date and procedure will be finalised in a meeting scheduled for the coming week.The card will also enhance safety and reduce inconvenience by eliminating the need for daily paper tickets, offering instead a hassle-free smart card.Plans for the Saheli Smart Card were first outlined in July. At the time, officials confirmed that it would carry the holder’s name and photograph and would be available to women and transgender residents of Delhi aged 12 years and above. The card, issued under the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) framework, will allow free travel on all DTC and Cluster buses and can also be recharged and used across other transit services.“To obtain the card, applicants must be bona fide residents of Delhi, aged 12 years or above, and have valid proof of address. They must register online through the DTC portal, select a participating bank, and complete full KYC verification at the chosen bank branch,” the official told PTI.The list of required documents includes Aadhaar, PAN, proof of residence in Delhi, a passport-size photograph, and any additional paperwork specified under the bank’s KYC norms. Once the KYC process is completed, the issuing bank will dispatch the card directly to the applicant’s registered address.The Delhi government has invited Expressions of Interest (EoI) from banks and financial institutions to support the card’s roll-out. Officials clarified that while the government will not charge users for the free travel scheme, banks may impose a small fee for issuing or maintaining the card. In the event of loss, the cardholder must inform the issuing bank, which may replace it under its own policies.Before it can be used, the card must be activated through the Automatic Fare Collection System (AFCS) of DTC. While topping up will enable use across other public transport services, the free travel facility will apply only to DTC and Cluster buses.“No card will be issued directly by DTC. Registration is completely online through the DTC portal, and cards are issued only after full KYC verification by the selected bank,” the official added.The chief minister has previously criticised the old pink ticket system, introduced under the AAP government, arguing that it was prone to corruption.
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