Travelling by train around Diwali? Here are the 60-day reservation dates and listed festival-special services

The Government of India’s 2026 holiday calendar lists Diwali on Sunday, November 8. Passengers often travel several days before or after the festival, so there is no single booking date covering the entire Diwali rush. The correct opening date depends on the train’s scheduled date of departure.

Indian Railways reduced the general Advance Reservation Period from 120 to 60 days from November 1, 2024. The journey date is excluded from the count. Certain daytime express services retain shorter windows, while the separate 365-day facility for eligible foreign tourists was not changed.

Applying the 60-day rule, general reservations for November 5 open September 6; November 6 on September 7; November 7 on September 8; Diwali day, November 8, on September 9; and November 9 on September 10. The normal opening time is 8am IST, but passengers should verify the selected train because exceptions exist.

The reserved Varanasi–Delhi Festival Special pair is scheduled for 50 trips. Train 04209 leaves Varanasi at 10:15pm and reaches Delhi at 1:45pm the next day; 04210 departs Delhi at 6:50pm and arrives in Varanasi at 9:50am. The notified operating period runs from early October to late November on specified days.

The reserved bi-weekly pair is scheduled for 36 trips between October 1 and November 30 on specified dates. Train 04213 departs Ayodhya Cantt at 6:20pm and reaches Anand Vihar at 6:10am; 04214 leaves Anand Vihar at 9am and arrives in Ayodhya at 10pm.

Northern Railway’s published list also includes 98 New Delhi–Kanpur trips on trains 02456/02455, 150 Anand Vihar–Laukaha Bazar trips on 04014/04013 and 120 Anand Vihar–Patliputra trips on 04096/04095. A high trip count does not guarantee a berth; check IRCTC or NTES for the exact operating date, stops and availability.