The annual Holi travel rush has reached its peak across northern and eastern India, creating severe pressure on both air and rail networks as millions attempt to return to their hometowns ahead of the festival on March 4 and Holika Dahan on March 3. Flight fares on several high-demand routes have surged beyond Rs 20,000 per seat, yet bookings continue as travellers scramble for any available option. For the vast majority of migrant workers and professionals who depend on railways for long-distance travel across the Gangetic plain, securing a confirmed train ticket has become increasingly difficult due to overwhelming demand.
Premium train services such as Rajdhani and Duronto Express trains, which follow dynamic pricing similar to airlines, are now displaying “REGRET” status on several routes, indicating that not only are all seats sold out but even waiting lists have closed. Regular mail, express, and superfast trains — where fares remain fixed — saw waiting lists climb into triple digits within hours of bookings opening 60 days in advance. Even Vande Bharat, Tejas, and other high-priority trains operating on key northern corridors are heavily waitlisted despite higher ticket prices, reflecting the scale of seasonal migration during the festival period.
The surge has been especially intense on routes connecting major metropolitan cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru with Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. Examples illustrate the severity of the situation: the New Delhi–Patna Tejas Rajdhani shows a waiting list exceeding 200 in 3AC despite fares crossing Rs 2,500, while tickets on the Sealdah Rajdhani and Dibrugarh Rajdhani carry long waiting lists even in higher AC classes. On some services, first-class AC tickets are nearing flight fare levels but remain unavailable. Similarly, Duronto Express services and Vande Bharat trains have seen strong demand, with waiting lists extending across multiple travel dates.
Indian Railways introduced hundreds of Holi special trains to ease congestion, but these additional services have also filled rapidly. Northern Railway alone planned nearly 300 special services from the Delhi-NCR region toward eastern states, while Central Railway launched 186 special trains linking cities like Mumbai and Pune with destinations such as Varanasi, Gorakhpur, and Nagpur. Despite these measures, bookings show that many special trains are already fully booked, with long waiting lists across sleeper and AC categories days before departure.
With trains unavailable and flights too expensive for many travellers, buses have emerged as the last viable option. At New Delhi’s Anand Vihar Interstate Bus Terminus, private operators are reportedly charging between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,000 per seat. Many passengers are accepting long and physically demanding journeys rather than risking uncertain waitlisted train tickets. One traveller described purchasing a bus ticket without even seeing the vehicle, relying solely on trust to secure a seat for a nearly 30-hour journey to Bihar, which still appeared more reliable than a waiting list exceeding 100 on a train.
Holi traditionally triggers one of India’s largest seasonal migrations, with migrant workers and professionals travelling back to their hometowns days in advance to celebrate with family. This year, demand has once again outpaced available capacity, forcing passengers to consider alternate routes, split journeys, postpone travel plans, or rely on Tatkal bookings released one day before departure. The situation highlights a recurring structural strain on India’s transportation system during major festivals, when travel demand stretches infrastructure to its limits and early planning becomes essential for securing confirmed tickets.
