Bihar Travel Alert: Airfares Soar While Trains Are Fully Booked Ahead of Diwali and Chhath

Patna: As Diwali and Chhath approach, travelers heading to Bihar are facing significant challenges due to high demand for transportation. All trains bound for Bihar are fully booked, and airlines have increased flight fares up to five times their normal rates. For instance, on October 31, the airfare from Delhi to Patna has skyrocketed to ₹23,877, which is four times higher than usual. Meanwhile, flights from Dubai to Patna on the same day are priced at ₹18,111.

On November 6, just a day before Chhath, passengers can expect flight fares from Dubai to Patna to be around ₹15,906, while fares from Delhi to Patna will cost approximately ₹17,191. The fare from Mumbai to Patna has reached an alarming ₹28,000, with tickets from Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and other cities also costing more than double.

In response to the surge in passenger numbers during the festive season, Indian Railways has announced the operation of 100 special trains. Sixty-five of these special trains will run daily from Delhi. To accommodate the increased passenger flow, additional booking counters will be opened at Patna Junction, Danapur Station, and Rajendra Nagar Terminal. Currently, four counters will operate at Patna Junction, three at Danapur, and two at Rajendra Nagar Terminal, with the potential to increase these numbers if needed.

To capitalize on the heightened demand, airlines such as Indigo and SpiceJet have introduced 16 additional pairs of aircraft starting October 27. Previously, 33 pairs of flights operated from Patna Airport; this number has now risen to 49 pairs. Passengers had hoped that the increase in flights would lead to lower fares, but that has not been the case. Indigo has added six new pairs of flights, while SpiceJet has introduced ten new pairs.

From November 12, Vistara will merge its operations with Air India, leading to the closure of Vistara services starting November 11. Meanwhile, IndiGo has secured slots for a flight between Jaipur and Patna, effective from November 30 to March 29, although bookings for this route have yet to commence.

To further facilitate travel during Diwali and Chhath, the number of special trains is being continuously increased. The Kota-Danapur Special will depart from Kota (09803) on Sundays and Thursdays at 9:25 PM, arriving in Danapur the following day at 8:00 PM. Conversely, the Danapur-Kota Special (09804) will leave Danapur at 9:30 PM on Mondays and Fridays, reaching Kota at 10:25 PM the next day.

Additionally, the New Jalpaiguri-Patna Special (05740) will depart New Jalpaiguri at 5:00 AM on Saturdays, arriving at Patna Junction by 5:40 PM. The Patna-New Jalpaiguri Special (05739) will leave Patna Junction at 7:30 PM on Saturdays, reaching New Jalpaiguri at 9:30 AM the following day. Other special trains, including the Katihar-Dauram Madhepura-Katihar Special (07541/07542) and Katihar-Chhapra-Katihar Special (05744/05743), will also be operated.