Patna: Thousands of migrant workers planning to return home to Bihar for Holi are facing mounting travel difficulties as train tickets on major routes have sold out weeks in advance, with waiting lists stretching beyond 100 on several services. Routes connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Surat, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Secunderabad to Bihar are witnessing an annual surge in demand, but this year the pressure on the railway network has intensified earlier than usual.
Most trains scheduled between 25 February and 3 March have reported a “no room” status, with confirmed tickets booked within minutes of counters opening. Return journeys after the festival are similarly crowded, leaving many travellers dependent on waitlisted tickets. In the absence of additional services, passengers say their only hope lies in the announcement of special trains, which the railways have yet to confirm.
According to booking data, several key services including the Tejas Rajdhani Express, Seemanchal Express, Vikramshila Express, Sampoorna Kranti Express, Brahmaputra Mail, Nandan Kanan Express and Awadh Assam Express have no confirmed seats available during the peak travel window. Some availability appears only after 10 March, once the festive rush is expected to ease, while limited seats on select trains open from 4 March.
With Holi set to be celebrated on 4 March, many passengers are turning to the Tatkal last-minute booking scheme, though the quota is small and often exhausted within minutes. Samun Kumar, a resident of Patna, said a friend travelling from Mumbai could only secure a waiting ticket numbered 126 and now plans to attempt a Tatkal booking both online and at the station counter.
Bihar traditionally sees one of the largest seasonal migrations during festivals such as Diwali, Chhath and Holi, as workers employed in other states return home. In the absence of confirmed reservations, some passengers travel with general tickets in sleeper or air-conditioned coaches, creating overcrowding and inconvenience for others.
With rising passenger numbers, limited seats and uncertainty over special trains, the journey home this Holi is proving more challenging for many families. Officials are advising travellers to book tickets as early as possible, reach stations on time even with waitlisted status and follow railway guidelines. Passengers, meanwhile, are hoping the authorities will soon introduce additional services to ease the festive rush and ensure safer, smoother travel.
