Pre-Diwali Rail Rush in Ahmedabad: Train Waiting Lists Reach 250 as Bookings Open
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Even with nearly two months still to go for Diwali, people who have moved to Ahmedabad for work and business and live away from their families have already begun worrying about their journey back home. Under the Railways’ 60-day advance reservation system, seats for the Diwali travel period are filling up rapidly as soon as bookings open, with waiting lists on some trains already reaching 250.
Diwali Train Bookings See Early Surge
As soon as the reservation window opens, passengers keep a close watch on the railway app and website to secure confirmed berths. Within just three to four days of bookings opening, seats on several popular trains are already being filled, leaving passengers with the option of choosing another train, a different class or changing their travel date.
Apart from Saurashtra, trains from Ahmedabad to Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Haryana and other states witness a major surge in demand during Diwali.
Demand is particularly high for long-distance trains from Ahmedabad to Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, as passengers also travel for Chhath Puja following Diwali. For those looking to reach their hometowns before Diwali, the period from November 5 to 8 is particularly important. Waiting lists have already started appearing on several routes as bookings for these dates open.
‘Regret’ Status Appears on Several Trains
Trains from Ahmedabad to West Bengal are also witnessing heavy demand due to Chhath Puja. For travel between November 5 and 8, online reservations for several trains and classes are showing “Regret” on the railway website and app.
“Regret” indicates that the available reservation quota, including the permissible waiting-list limit, has been exhausted for a particular train and class. In such cases, no fresh bookings can be made.
Waiting-List Status on Key Routes
State | Major Routes | Maximum Waiting List |
Maharashtra | Mumbai, Nashik, Pune | Up to 80 |
Rajasthan | Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur | Up to 247 |
Delhi | Delhi | Up to 152 |
Haryana | Chandigarh | Up to 141 |
Madhya Pradesh | Indore, Bhopal | Up to 250 |
Festival Specials May Offer Relief
With passenger demand expected to rise further during Diwali, the Railways is likely to initiate the process of operating festival special trains on various routes, as it does every year. These additional services could provide relief to passengers struggling to secure confirmed tickets.
However, with bookings expected to increase over the coming days, waiting lists on several routes are likely to become longer.
