Chhath 2026 train travel to Bihar and UP: booking and crowd plan

When Chhath falls in 2026

Chhath Puja is a four-day festival, with Nahay Khay, Kharna, the evening arghya and the morning arghya, and it is celebrated mainly in Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh. It usually falls about a week after Diwali. Our Diwali 2026 travel guide gives 8 November 2026 for Diwali, which puts Chhath around the middle of November. Treat that as an estimate: confirm the exact dates in an official calendar or a Bihar government notice before you fix your leave.

Chhath matters for trains because the travel starts several days before the festival and continues after it. People heading home for the four days of rituals travel in the week before, and many return in the days after. That makes the whole stretch busy, not just the festival days themselves.

Book now, while the window is open

The advance reservation period is 60 days, excluding the journey day. That means trains for mid-November are already open for booking, and the window currently reaches about 9 December. Journeys after that date open as the days pass, so check the window for any later return.

Waitlists on regular trains build fast in the weeks before Chhath. Booking on the day the window opens is also tighter than it used to be: from 12 January 2026, only Aadhaar-authenticated IRCTC users can book general reserved tickets online on that day, between 08:00 and midnight. Link your Aadhaar to your account now so you are not locked out when the date comes.

Where the crowds go

Most Chhath travel goes to a small set of stations. If your home town is one of them, you will get the best choice of trains. If you are going to a smaller station nearby, check whether a bigger junction in the same district gives you more options.

Other stations on the same belt include Chhapra, Sasaram, Bhagalpur and Ballia. From Delhi, several trains to Bihar and UP also leave from Anand Vihar Terminal, so check it alongside New Delhi.

Trains from Delhi to Bihar: a starting list

These are direct trains from New Delhi that call at Bihar stations, with the stop times from our timetable data. Times are local and can change, so open each train page for the running days before you book.

Check the running days on the train page before you book, because the Poorva Express runs only on some days. For a fresh search across all trains and connections, use the trip planner from New Delhi to Patna Junction.

Festival specials: read them carefully

Railways usually adds numbered special trains for Chhath, as it does for Diwali. Specials have their own numbers, often different timings and fares, and they are not always cheaper. Compare them with the regular trains on the same route before you choose.

Some specials run as duplicates of a regular train on a few dates only, so the same journey can appear under two numbers. Our guide on duplicate and special trains during festivals explains how to tell them apart, and the festival special list covers how to find and book them.

Crowd and safety advice for the journey

• Reach the station early. Platforms are packed in the hours before a long-distance departure, and gates can be crowded.
• Travel light, with one bag you can keep in sight. Keep your phone, documents and wallet in a front pocket, not in an overhead bag.
• Know your coach and berth before you board. Once the coach is full, finding your seat is slow, so have your PNR and coach number ready.
• Keep the helpline number handy. Dial 139 for help on a train, and press 1 for security or medical help.
• Check live status on the day. Each train page shows the running status and any delay, so you can plan the pickup or the connection.

Plan the return journey too

Most people forget the return until the last moment, and that is when the seats run out. Book the return as a separate ticket once you know your leave dates, and do not wait for the outbound confirmation to decide. If the return is a waitlist, check the trip planner for alternative trains from nearby stations, including a different junction in the same district.

Remember that the first reservation chart for a train is prepared at least 10 hours before departure. A waitlisted ticket can still confirm after that, but it is not guaranteed, so plan an alternative for any journey that matters. For how the window and quota work in more detail, read our advance reservation period guide.

Budget and what to pack

Festival travel can cost more than a normal trip, because special trains carry their own fares and waitlists climb in the weeks before the festival. Set a budget that covers a higher fare, a taxi or auto to the station, and food for a long journey. A reliable plan is to keep one week of travel money in reserve for a last-minute change.

Pack light food for the journey, a charger and power bank, a blanket or sheet for the night, and enough water. Carry the offerings and festival items in a separate bag so the main luggage stays manageable.

Frequently asked questions

Use the questions below for the most common planning points. Dates and fares change, so check the official sources linked from our guides before you pay.

• When is Chhath in 2026? Around mid-November, about a week after Diwali. Confirm the exact dates in an official calendar, since they depend on the lunar calendar.
• Can I book Chhath trains now? Yes for trains in mid-November, because the 60-day advance reservation period is open. Later dates will open as the days pass.
• Which Delhi trains reach Bihar? Bihar S Kranti, Shramjivi, Poorva, Vaishali and Mahabodhi Express are among the regular trains. Check each train page for the running days.