Indian Railways’ Festive Plan: Here’s What Travellers Need to Know
With Diwali, Chhath Puja, and Dhanteras just around the corner, train stations across India are gearing up for the festive rush. To manage the crowd and make travel smoother, Indian Railways has rolled out a bunch of new rules, restrictions, and even some attractive discounts.
From Aadhaar-linked ticketing to a 20% return fare rebate, here’s everything you should know before you pack your bags and head home.
1. No Platform Tickets at Busy Stations
If you’re planning to see off family or friends at the station—think again.
The sale of platform tickets has been temporarily suspended at major stations in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and Gujarat till the end of October to manage crowd pressure.
- Delhi: New Delhi, Delhi Junction, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Anand Vihar, and Ghaziabad stations won’t sell platform tickets from October 15 to 28, 2025.
- Mumbai: No platform tickets at CSMT, Dadar, LTT, Thane, Kalyan, Panvel, and Bandra Terminus between October 15 and 31.
- Gujarat: Vapi, Surat, and Udhna stations are also under the same restriction till October 31.
Basically, unless you’re travelling, you’ll have to skip the goodbyes at the platform this season.
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2. Leave the Firecrackers at Home
In a fresh safety advisory, Indian Railways has banned passengers from carrying firecrackers or any flammable items on trains during the festive period.
That means no gas cylinders, kerosene, petrol, diesel, or matchboxes inside trains or on platforms.
Violating this rule could lead to up to three years in jail or a ₹1,000 fine.
The message from Railways is clear — “travel safe, not sorry.”
3. Ticket Booking Window Set at 60 Days
If you’re wondering when to book your tickets, here’s your reminder:
Indian Railways’ advance reservation period (ARP) is now 60 days, not 120.
So, if you plan to travel on November 15, you can start booking from September 16 at 12:20 am.
Bookings won’t be available on BookMyTrain between 8 am to 12 pm on opening days, so plan accordingly
4. Aadhaar Linking Now a Must for IRCTC Users
Starting October 1, 2025, IRCTC users will need to link their Aadhaar numbers to their accounts to book tickets during peak hours.
Here’s how it affects you:
- Only Aadhaar-verified accounts can book tickets during the first 15 minutes after bookings open.
- From July 15, 2025, Tatkal ticket bookings on both the IRCTC website and app require Aadhaar-based OTP authentication.
- Even PRS counters and agents now follow OTP verification for all Tatkal tickets.
Agents can’t bulk-book tickets right away either — they’ll have to wait for 30 minutes after the window opens.
5. 20% Discount on Return Journey Tickets
Here’s some good news for travellers:
Railways has launched a “Festival Round Trip Scheme”, offering a 20% discount on the base fare of return journey tickets if you book your onward and return tickets together.
Eligibility Highlights:
- Same passengers, class, and route.
- Onward travel between October 13–26, 2025 and return between November 17–December 1, 2025.
- Book both tickets in the same mode — either both online or both at PRS counters.
- The offer is only valid for confirmed tickets.
- No refund applies if you cancel under this scheme.
So, if you’re heading home for Diwali and returning after Chhath Puja — this deal could save you a decent chunk.
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What This Means for You
The Indian Railways is clearly stepping up its game this festive season — balancing safety, security, and savings.
If you’re planning to travel in the coming weeks, make sure your Aadhaar is linked, your tickets are booked early, and your bags don’t include banned items.
With these rules in place, expect a slightly stricter but much smoother festive travel experience.
