Diwali train ticket booking: Travellers should check the booking window and availability before making their reservations. (Image generated using AI)Diwali Train Ticket Booking 2026: The train ticket booking for Diwali 2026 is set to begin tomorrow, September 6. This year, Diwali will be celebrated on November 8. As per Indian Railways’ reservation rules, the Advance Reservation Period (ARP) for train tickets opens 60 days before the date of journey, excluding the date of travel. The ticket booking will start at 8 AM.In a statement, the national transporter urged passengers to book their tickets in advance and enjoy a hassle-free journey. It said advance reservation helps passengers plan their travel better and ensures a more comfortable journey.“Diwali Advance Reservation Begins! Book your tickets from 6 September. Plan your journey early and avoid the last-minute rush,” it said.Also Read | New Vande Bharat for Bengaluru: Trial run begins on Yesvantpur-Mangaluru Central routeSome of the busiest routes that usually see high demand for train tickets during the festive season include Delhi-Patna, Patna-Ahmedabad, Patna-Udhna, Mumbai-Patna, Howrah-Patna, Bengaluru-Patna, Firozpur-Patna, Varanasi-Delhi, Kanpur-Delhi, Ludhiana-Supaul, Ludhiana-Patna, Chennai-Patna, Hyderabad-Patna and Delhi-Gorakhpur, among others.The Railways has also announced several festival special trains on various routes to provide passengers with additional travel options and ensure smooth movement during the upcoming festive season.Train No. 09189 (Mumbai Central–Katihar) Festival Special will operate for seven additional trips on September 5 and 12; October 17, 24 and 31; and November 7 and 14, 2026. In the return direction, Train No. 09190 (Katihar–Mumbai Central) Festival Special will operate for seven additional trips on September 8 and 15; October 20 and 27; and November 3, 10 and 17, 2026.Train No. 04127 (Kanpur Central–Guwahati) Special will operate for 14 additional trips from September 10 to December 10, 2026. In the return direction, Train No. 04128 (Guwahati–Kanpur Central) Special will operate for 14 additional trips from September 11 to December 11, 2026.Train no. 05736 (Katihar–Amritsar) Festival Special will run for 12 additional trips from 09th September to 25th November 2026. In the return direction, train no. 05735 (Amritsar-Katihar) Festival Special will run for 12 additional trips from 11th September to 27th November 2026.Train no. 05932 (Dibrugarh- Kolkata) Festival Special will run for 13 additional trips from 05th September to 28th November 2026. In the return direction, train no. 05931 (Kolkata – Dibrugarh) Festival Special will run for 13 additional trips from 07th September to 30th November 2026. These trains will operate with a 22 nos of coach composition for the convenience of passengers.Train nos. 03407/03408 (Bhagalpur – Katihar- Bhagalpur) Festival Special will continue to operate daily. Their services have been extended for 94 trips each in both directions from 29th August to 30th November 2026.Train No. 04209/04210 Varanasi – Delhi -Varanasi Reserved Festival Special ExpressTrain no. 04213/04214 Ayodhya Cantt– Anand Vihar Terminal-Ayodhya Cantt Reserved Bi-Weekly Festival SpecialTrain no. 04512/04511 Chandigarh – Patna Jn. – Chandigarh Reserved Weekly Festival Special ExpressTrain no. 04616/04615 Firozpur Cantt Jn. – Patna Jn. – Firozpur Cantt Jn. Reserved Weekly Festival Special ExpressTrain no. 04008/04007 Anand Vihar Terminal – Jogbani – Anand Vihar Terminal Reserved Weekly Festival SpecialTrain no. 04028/04027 AnandVihar Terminal- Muzaffarpurjn.-Anand Vihar Terminal Reserved Bi-Weekly Festival SpecialTrain No.04010/04009 Delhi -Sitamarhi- Delhi Reserved weekly Festival Weekly SpecialTrain No. 02456/02455: New Delhi–Kanpur Central–New Delhi Superfast SpecialTrain No. 02458/02457: Anand Vihar Terminal–Kanpur Central–Anand Vihar Terminal Superfast SpecialTrain No. 02563/02564: Barauni–New Delhi–Barauni SpecialTrain No. 02569/02570: Darbhanga–New Delhi–Darbhanga SpecialAnish Mondal is a journalist with over nine years of experience covering the railways and roadways. Currently a member of the Indianexpress.com editorial team, Anish specializes in high-impact sectors. Professional Journey Anish began his career at the public broadcaster Rajya Sabha Television (now Sansad TV), where he developed a foundational understanding of legislative processes and national governance. In 2018, he transitioned to digital financial journalism at FinancialExpress.com, spending nearly six years refining his expertise in market trends and corporate reporting. Before joining The Indian Express in 2025, he served as a key contributor at ETNowNews.com. Education & Expertise Anish’s reporting is backed by a rigorous academic background in communication and the humanities: Master of Journalism and Mass Communication (MJMC) – Apeejay Stya University Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Production (PGTVRJP) – Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication Bachelor of Arts (English Honours) – University of Calcutta Areas of Coverage Connectivity: Detailed reporting on the expansion of Indian Railways and National Highway networks. ... Read More