IRCTC glitches frustrate passengers booking Diwali, Chhath Puja trains to Bihar as Railways adds special festival services.
Published: September 13, 2026, 5:34 PM IST
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Indian Railways has scheduled special trains for Bihar-bound travellers from September 16 to November 30Representational Image
The rush to book festival travel to Bihar has triggered a wave of complaints on social media, with passengers reporting that the IRCTC platform crashed or showed “high load error” and “regret” messages soon after bookings opened for Diwali and Chhath PujaIndian Railways has scheduled special trains for Bihar-bound travellers from September 16 to November 30.
In an appeal to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, an X user wrote, “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 advanceHowever, 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.”
According to a Livemint report, the IRCTC app was checked around 8 am on Sunday, September 13, for Bihar-bound trains for November 12, but most sections showed a “regret” messageIndian Railways allows passengers to book regular tickets up to 60 days in advance under the Advance Reservation Period (ARP), with the journey date excludedAs a result, bookings for November 12, 2026, opened at 8 am on September 13.
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Internet reactions
Passengers are demanding answers, with one X user seeking “clarification regarding the difficulties” people are facing while booking trains for Diwali and Chhath, especially on routes to Bihar.
When Livemint checked the app, most sections displayed a “regret” messageOn some trains, the waiting list had already crossed 100 and even 200 in some classesThe problem, users argued, was not just demand but the platform failing at the start of the booking window.
One user posted, “REGRET happens just few minutes after ticket booking starts”Another wrote, “…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 LoadNot booked a ticket…,” and called it a “PATHETIC system”.
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The frustration went beyond failed transactionsOne X user wrote, “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 facilityTechnology is only successful when its benefits reach the common man.”
Another user posted, “Railway was, is, and will always be a messTried 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.”
