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Festival trains start rolling today as Indian Railways begins early Diwali–Chhath operations. Bookings opened on September 6 under the 60‑day window at 8 am. First confirmed trips include Katihar–Amritsar services from September 9, with more due this week. Watch Delhi–Varanasi, Delhi–Bihar, Mumbai–UP/Bihar and Kolkata–Northeast corridors.
Demand spiked across Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh routes. By midnight, Patna‑bound trains for November 7 showed ‘regret’ within minutes of opening. With a 60‑day reservation period, bookings for the Diwali weekend opened between September 6 and 9. Early movers still find seats on quieter departure dates.
Diwali–Chhath 2026 festival specials: routes and timings
Northern Railway’s September 6 roster added Delhi–Varanasi, Ayodhya–Anand Vihar and Chandigarh–Patna. Northeast links include Dibrugarh–Kolkata, while Western connections cover Mumbai–Katihar. Highlights below map first runs, date ranges and core timings. “During the upcoming festival season, Railways will run the following special trains,” the zone posted.
| Corridor/Zone | Train nos | First runs/dates | Key timings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi–Varanasi (NR) | 04209/04210 | Oct 2–Nov 28 | BSB 22:15→DLI 13:45; DLI 18:50→BSB 09:50 |
| Ayodhya–Anand Vihar (NR) | 04213/04214 | Oct 1–Nov 30 | AY 18:20→ANVT 06:10; ANVT 09:00→AY 22:00 |
| Chandigarh–Patna (NR) | 04512/04511 | Oct 1–Nov 27 | Weekly; via Ambala, Varanasi |
| Mumbai Central–Katihar (WR) | 09189/09190 | Sep 5–Nov 14 (select dates) | Per notification |
| Katihar–Amritsar (NFR/NR) | 05736/05735 | Sep 9–Nov 27 | 12 trips announced |
| Dibrugarh–Kolkata (NFR/ER) | 05932/05931 | Sep 5–Nov 30 | 13 trips announced |
Diwali–Chhath 2026 festival specials: IRCTC booking tips and waitlist strategy
Pro booking tips: use the Special Trains filter, search nearby stations, and keep a saved passenger list. Log in before 8 am and pay via UPI for speed. If you miss General quota, target Tatkal at 10 am for AC and 11 am for non‑AC; agents are barred initially.
Diwali–Chhath 2026 festival specials: refunds, reschedules and advisories
Expect the fastest sell‑outs on Delhi–Patna, Delhi–Gorakhpur and Lucknow‑bound trains, followed by Mumbai–Patna. Reports show ‘regret’ within 15–30 minutes on key dates. Track newly announced Chandigarh–Patna and Varanasi–Delhi runs for earlier availability before regular trains clear long wait‑lists.
If plans change, note the updated refund windows. Full automatic refunds apply on e‑tickets when trains are cancelled by Railways. Between 72 and 24 hours before departure, 25 percent is deducted; between 24 and 8 hours, 50 percent; after that, no refund. Tatkal refunds aren’t permitted unless the service is cancelled. Build extra station time and follow crowd advisories.