Diwali 2026 train travel: book early, plan alternates

Diwali falls around 8 November 2026 (confirm the date in an official calendar, as it depends on the lunar calendar). Chhath follows about a week later, around the middle of November. Trains heading to Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand from Delhi, Mumbai and Gujarat get very crowded in the fortnight before. The good news: as of 26 September, the booking window is already open for most of that rush, so the work starts now.

Start with the 60-day window

Reserved tickets open 60 days before the journey date, excluding the journey day itself. Counting from today, 26 September, the window reaches roughly 25 November. That means both your outbound and return dates around Diwali and Chhath can be booked now, if the train runs on those days. Our guide to the advance reservation period shows how to count the days for any date.

Since 12 January 2026, only Aadhaar-authenticated IRCTC users can book general reserved tickets online on the day booking opens, from 08:00 to midnight. Link your Aadhaar and verify your account well before the day you need it. Our Aadhaar linking guide has the steps.

Do not plan around Tatkal

Tatkal opens one day before the journey, at 10:00 for AC classes and 11:00 for non-AC classes, and needs Aadhaar-based OTP authentication. In festival weeks it can sell out very quickly on the busiest trains. Treat it as a fallback. The Tatkal timing guide and our note on Tatkal confirmation chances explain what to expect.

Delhi to Bihar: trains to check early

These trains run from New Delhi through Patna. Check each train's page for the days it runs and its current timings, as they can change.

Train	Direction	Type	Runs
12310 RJPB Tejas Rajdhani	NDLS to RJPB	Rajdhani	Daily
12392 Shramjivi Express	NDLS to RGD	Superfast	Daily
20802 Magadh Express	NDLS to IPR	Superfast	Daily
12304 Poorva Express	NDLS to HWH	Superfast	Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun

For Gorakhpur and eastern Uttar Pradesh, look at 12556 Gorakhdham Express, which runs daily from Bathinda to Gorakhpur and stops at Delhi Jn. From Mumbai, 11055 Godan Express runs from LTT to Gorakhpur on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, a journey of around 33 hours 40 minutes.

The trip planner's New Delhi to Patna search lists every train on the pair for your date.

Use alternate boarding stations

Delhi has several terminals, so a train that looks full from one may have seats from another. Try New Delhi, Delhi Jn, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Anand Vihar Terminal and Ghaziabad. Our alternate boarding stations explainer covers how the planner finds them.

Also compare breaking the journey: a train to a hub such as Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Jn and a second train onwards can beat a fully waitlisted direct train. See connecting trains when there is no direct train.

Waitlist and special trains

A long waitlist on a festival train rarely clears. Read waiting list confirmation chances before you decide to hold one. The reservation chart is prepared at least 10 hours before departure, and RAC or waitlist status is final after the last chart.

Railways usually announces festival specials in the weeks before Diwali and Chhath. These are separate numbered trains, often with different timings and fares. Our posts on festival specials in 2026 and duplicate specials show how to spot them. Do not rely on a rumour; check IRCTC for the train number.

Pick your travel day with care

The heaviest load is usually on the last two or three days before Diwali going home, and on the days right after the festival coming back. Leaving a few days earlier, or returning after the rush, often means a confirmed berth where the peak days show a long waitlist. If your work allows it, shifting by even one day can change the picture, so check several dates in the planner rather than one.

Overnight departures fill first because they save a day of leave. A morning or afternoon train that reaches later the next day may have seats when the evening trains do not. Check the running days too: some trains, like the Poorva Express above, run only on set weekdays, and a weekly train may not run on your date at all. Our explainer on weekly vs daily trains helps.

Travelling with family or elderly parents

Ask for lower berths where you are eligible, and read our notes on the lower berth quota and travelling with elderly parents. For a large group, large family trip tips covers seating and luggage. Carry enough food and water for the whole journey.

What our delay data can and cannot tell you

Festival weeks bring more traffic and, on some routes, more delays. Our train pages show live running status and recent delay history for each train, which is our own tracking and not an official statistic. Use it to judge whether a connection is safe, and leave a longer gap between two trains than you would on an ordinary day.

A checklist for the week you travel

• Reach the station early. Festival platforms are crowded, and how early to reach the station gives a rule of thumb.
• Check the platform on the station displays and announcements on the day; our station boards guide explains why platform numbers can change.
• Follow the live status of your train from the evening before, and switch on the arrival alert on its page.
• Carry your ID; the valid ID proofs list shows what is accepted.
• Keep a change of plan ready for delays. In festival weeks, our festival rush planning guide covers what to do if you miss a connection.

What to do this week

1. Pick your outbound and return dates.
2. Open the trip planner and list two trains per direction.
3. Verify your IRCTC account and Aadhaar.
4. Book the earliest available date on your preferred train.
5. Set a reminder for the chart time and cancellations.