Diwali 2026 Train Ticket Booking: Tickets Sold Out Within Minutes, Waiting List Crosses 200

Train ticket bookings for the upcoming Diwali 2026 festival sold out within minutes of opening, leaving thousands of passengers disappointed. Trains operating to Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Kanyakumari, Nagercoil, Madurai and Virudhunagar reported waiting lists of more than 200 soon after reservations began.

Passengers have urged the Indian Railways to operate additional special trains during the Diwali festive season to meet the heavy demand.

Diwali Train Ticket Booking Sees Huge Demand

Diwali will be celebrated on November 8, 2026 (Sunday). Under the current railway reservation system, advance ticket booking opens 60 days before the date of journey.

Accordingly, bookings for journeys on November 5 opened at 8 AM, but tickets on several popular trains were sold out within just a few minutes.

A large number of passengers attempted to book tickets simultaneously, resulting in difficulties accessing the IRCTC website. Some passengers were unable to complete their reservations due to the heavy traffic.

South Tamil Nadu Trains Reach Full Capacity

Popular trains connecting Chennai with southern districts quickly reached full capacity. These include:

- Kanyakumari Express

- Ananthapuri Express

- Nellai Express

- Pothigai Express

- Muthunagar Express

Trains bound for Kanyakumari, Nagercoil, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Virudhunagar and Madurai reportedly became fully booked, with waiting lists crossing 200 within minutes of the booking window opening.

Passengers who had been waiting at railway reservation counters and attempting to book tickets online expressed disappointment over the lack of availability.

Passengers Demand Additional Diwali Special Trains

With demand expected to remain high throughout the Diwali travel period, passengers have urged Southern Railway to operate additional trains and special services to southern Tamil Nadu.

The heavy demand is mainly due to the large number of people living and working in Chennai who travel to their hometowns during Diwali and other major festivals.

Next Diwali Train Booking Dates

Bookings for travel on November 6 open at 8 AM on September 7. Since November 6 is a Friday and the following day is a holiday for many schools, colleges and offices, another rush for train tickets is expected.

Bookings for travel on November 7 will open on September r 8, while passengers planning to travel on Diwali day, November 8, will need to book their tickets on September 9.

Passengers planning their return journey after Diwali are also advised to book tickets well in advance, as return trains are expected to face similar demand.

With Diwali approaching, passengers are advised to plan their journeys early and book train tickets as soon as the reservation window opens to improve their chances of securing confirmed tickets.