Railways to begin Diwali ticket booking on Sept 6 at 8 AM, ARP 60 days prior
Indian Railways opens advance Diwali bookings on September 6, with ARP set at 60 days before travel. Multiple festival special trains slated across key routes to aid holiday travel.
Key takeaways
- Diwali train ticket bookings begin on September 6, 2026, at 8:00 AM.
- Advance Reservation Period is 60 days before the journey date, excluding the travel day.
- Railways has announced multiple festival special trains with added trips and extended services to accommodate festive travel.
What Happened
Indian Railways announced that Diwali train ticket bookings will commence on September 6, 2026, with the booking window opening at 8:00 AM. The railway authority reaffirmed its advance reservation policy, which sets the Advance Reservation Period (ARP) at 60 days prior to the date of journey, not counting the travel day. In its statement, the railway urged passengers to plan ahead to secure smoother travel during the festive period. The city-to-city demand anticipated during Diwali typically affects several high-traffic routes, including Delhi-Patna, Patna-Ahmedabad, Patna-Udhna, Mumbai-Patna, Howrah-Patna, Bengaluru-Patna, Varanasi-Delhi, Kanpur-Delhi, Ludhiana-Supaul, Ludhiana-Patna, Chennai-Patna, Hyderabad-Patna, and Delhi-Gorakhpur, among others.
The operator also announced a slate of festival special trains to support passenger movement, detailing multiple trains with expanded trips and extended services across September to November 2026. Examples include the Mumbai Central–Katihar Festival Special with several extra runs, the Katihar–Mumbai Central return, and additional services on routes such as Kanpur Central–Guwahati and Guwahati–Kanpur Central, alongside numerous other festival specials with varying itineraries and weekly or bi-weekly schedules. These trains will feature a larger coach composition to accommodate more travellers.
Why It Matters
The timing of bookings and the ARP framework directly influence traveller planning and railway occupancy during peak festive periods. By publicising the ARP and start time, Railways aims to reduce last-minute rush and improve journey planning. The expansion of festival special services on multiple routes signals an effort to manage demand and maintain smoother passenger flow during Diwali, a period of intensified travel across major corridors.
Background
Diwali is a major travel season in India, prompting increased railway demand on numerous intercity routes. The ARP policy sets a fixed advance booking window to help passengers secure seats while allowing Railways to allocate capacity more predictably. Festival specials are routinely deployed to augment available travel options during peak periods.
Key Facts
- Diwali 2026 date referenced as November 8.
- ARP opens 60 days before the journey date, excluding the travel day.
- Booking begins on September 6, 2026, at 8:00 AM.
- Extra festival special trains announced on multiple routes with additional trips through September–November 2026.
- Examples of festival specials include Mumbai Central–Katihar and Katihar–Mumbai Central with seven additional trips on specified dates, Kanpur Central–Guwahati with 14 extra trips, and Amritsar–Katihar with 12 additional trips in both directions, among others.
- Several other named festival special trains operate with expanded schedules and coach counts.
What Happens Next
Railways will continue to advertise booking windows and ARP compliance as the Diwali period approaches. Passengers are expected to monitor seat availability on the official booking channels and consider festival-special trains as alternatives to ensure travel during peak demand. The railway authority intends to run additional services across a range of routes to ease congestion and improve holiday travel experiences.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
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