Diwali, Chhath Puja train chaos: IRCTC shows ‘high load’, ‘regret’; Railways announce special trains, check schedule

Many on social media have complained about facing difficulty in booking train tickets to travel home, especially to Bihar, during Diwali and Chhath Puja. Several claimed that they were shown a "high load error" or "regret" message while booking tickets on the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website.

In an appeal to Union Railway Minister Ashiwini Vaishnaw, one X user said, “Dear Railway Minister Sir, Every year during Diwali and Chhath Puja, when we try to book train tickets to go home to Bihar, we log into the IRCTC app two months in advance. However, the app crashes and shows a 'Regret'.”

Another requested Vaishnaw to issue a "clarification regarding the difficulties passengers are facing while booking train tickets for Diwali and Chhath to travel home, especially to Bihar."

When Mint logged on to the IRCTC app around 8 am on Sunday (September 13) to check ticket availability on Bihar-bound trains around November 12, most sections displayed a "regret" message. On some trains, the waiting list reached over 100, and even 200, in some classes.

Indian Railways allows you to book regular train tickets up to 60 days in advance (excluding the date of journey). This 60-day limit is called the Advance Reservation Period (ARP). This means that for November 12, 2026, the date of the journey, ticket booking will begin at 08:00 am.

But, even booking tickets at sharp 8 am was not easy for the users.

'REGRET happens just few minutes after ticket booking starts'

"...since 8 Am, I am Trying to book a railway ticket to go home (Bihar) for Diwali and Chhath Puja, but the system keeps showing “Error” or “High System Load. Not booked a ticket...," another "frustrated" user claimed, slamming the "PATHETIC system".

Another user questioned, "If REGRET happens just a few minutes after ticket booking starts, then how will the common passenger get home? During festivals, trains are a necessity for the public, not some VIP facility. Technology is only successful when its benefits reach the common man."

"Railway was, is, and will always be a mess. Tried booking a Chhath ticket to Bihar at 8 AM—site stayed busy until 8:12, then started working on and off only after all tickets were already sold out," said another X user.

Special trains announced

The Indian Railways is running special trains to facilitate travel for those travelling from several major cities, including Delhi, to major stations in Bihar. These trains will operate between September 16 and November 30, the report added.

The East Central Railway announced the full schedule of 16 festival special trains on September 9. Some of these trains will be weekly, while others will run biweekly. Some of them will also run on daily bases.

Details are as follows:

The trains will run from more than 10 major cities, including Delhi, Chandigarh, Firozpur Cantt, and Rishikesh, to various stations in Bihar. Travellers from Delhi to Bihar will have the most options. Special trains are planned on the Patna Junction, Patliputra Junction, Muzaffarpur, and Jogbani routes.

1. A special train from Delhi to Sitamarhi will run on Thursdays from October 15 to November 19. Meanwhile, train from Sitamarhi to Delhi will run on Saturdays from October 17 to November 21.

2. A special train will also run between Rishikesh and Muzaffarpur. This train will run on Sundays from October 4th to November 29th. The return train from Muzaffarpur to Rishikesh will run on Mondays from October 5th to November 30th.

3. The special train from Chandigarh to Patna will run on Thursdays from October 1 to November 26. Train from Patna to Chandigarh will run on Fridays from October 2 to November 27.

4. The train from Firozpur Cantt to Patna will run on Tuesdays from October 6 to November 24. The train from Patna to Firozpur Cantt will run on Wednesdays from October 7 to November 25.

5. The special train from Anand Vihar to Jogbani will run on Saturdays from October 10 to November 7. The return train from Jogbani to Anand Vihar will run on Sundays from October 11 to November 8.

6. The Anand Vihar to Muzaffarpur train will run on Tuesdays and Fridays from October 13 to November 24. The return Muzaffarpur to Anand Vihar train will run on Wednesdays and Saturdays from October 14 to November 25.

7. The Anand Vihar-Patliputra route will also be important for travelers traveling from Delhi to Bihar during the festive season. A special train will run daily from Anand Vihar to Patliputra. It will operate from October 1 to November 29. The train from Patliputra to Anand Vihar will run daily from October 2 to November 30.

8. There are also daily trains scheduled to run between Anand Vihar and Laukha Bazaar and Laukha Bazaar to Anand Vihar. The Anand Vihar to Laukha Bazaar service is scheduled from September 16th to November 29th, and the return service is scheduled from September 17th to November 30th.

Northern Railways announces festival special trains

During the upcoming festival season, Railways have decided to run the following Festival Special Trains as per the details given below:

About the Author

Akriti Anand is a Deputy Chief Content Producer at LiveMint. She is a digital journalist with more than six years in the news industry.<br><br> In her current role, she covers both national and international politics, and also keeps a close watch on the latest trends in science and space exploration. <br><br> Akriti joined the LiveMint team in October 2023. Before this, she built a strong career at other major media houses. She worked as a senior sub-editor at India Today. Later, she moved to CNBCTV-18. There, she covered high-pressure topics like breaking news and major elections. She spent much of her time analysing Parliament bills and complex political debates. She is also a skilled editor who knows how to polish a story for a digital audience. <br><br> One of her career highlights happened at CNBCTV-18. She made her first television debut during the Chandrayaan-3 mission. She also provided special on-air coverage for the Karnataka Elections. <br><br> When she is not busy with breaking news, Akriti loves to write explainers and interview experts on a wide range of issues. She also enjoys making complex space missions easy for everyone to understand. <br><br> Her education helps her tackle these diverse subjects. She holds a BA in English Literature, a Postgraduate Diploma in Mass Communication, and a Master’s degree in Development Studies. She is currently expanding her knowledge in climate journalism.<br><br> Connect with Akriti here<br> LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/akriti-anand-868285199">https://www.linkedin.com/in/akriti-anand-868285199</a><br> Twitter/X: <a href="https://x.com/AkritiAnand7">https://x.com/AkritiAnand7</a><br> Email: akriti.anand@htdigital.in

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