Indian Railways Opens Booking Window for Diwali and Bhai Dooj Travel

Indian Railways has officially opened its reservation window for travel on November 8, 2026, coinciding with the Diwali festival and the upcoming Bhai Dooj celebrations. Under the current Advance Reservation Period (ARP) rules, updated on November 1, 2024 to a 60-day window, ticket bookings for this date became available to the public starting at 8:00 AM IST on September 9, 2026. This follows the opening of bookings for November 7 travel, which commenced on September 8, 2026. The IRCTC platform has experienced significant demand, with reports indicating that tickets for high-traffic routes to states including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu are selling out within minutes, often resulting in waitlists exceeding 200.

Managing the Festive Rush

To manage the anticipated surge in passenger volume during the Diwali and Chhath festive season, Indian Railways has introduced a series of festival special trains. These additional services cover critical routes, including Mumbai Central–Katihar, Varanasi–Delhi, Ayodhya Cantt–Anand Vihar, and Chandigarh–Patna. Officials advise passengers to prepare for bookings by utilizing the IRCTC Master List to save traveler details in advance, logging into the portal five minutes before the 8:00 AM opening, and utilizing high-speed digital payment options to secure confirmed seats.