Northbound Trains from Ahmedabad Packed for May; Waitlists Cross 100 on Many Routes

Ahmedabad: Trains from Ahmedabad to key North Indian cities such as Delhi, Varanasi, Patna, and Haridwar are already fully booked for May, with several services showing long waiting lists or ‘regret’ status. With confirmed tickets unavailable, many passengers who can afford it are turning to air travel, pushing airfares to nearly double on some routes.

The rush is particularly intense on the Haridwar route, where sleeper class waiting lists range from 80 to 130 during the first 15 days of May. A similar situation prevails in the 3AC class on the Yoga Express departing from Sabarmati Railway Station in Ahmedabad.

Trains heading towards Bihar, especially those reaching Barauni, are also witnessing heavy demand, with waiting lists going up to 100 in sleeper class and around 50 in 3-tier AC.

Services towards Patna are expected to run jam-packed, as waiting lists have crossed 130 on several days, despite nearly a month remaining before the journey dates.

Similarly, trains to Puri, where a large number of labourers return during the vacation period, are showing waiting lists of 30–40 across classes.

According to reports, more than 16 trains heading towards North India currently have waiting lists exceeding 100.

Meanwhile, railway officials stated that additional holiday special trains will be announced soon. Under the ‘train-on-demand’ system, extra services may also be introduced at short notice on high-demand routes.

🧭 Tips for Passengers

• Use ‘Vikalp’ Scheme: Opt for alternative trains during booking to improve chances of confirmation.
• Check Chart Vacancy: After chart preparation, vacant seats can be checked on the IRCTC Rail Connect app.
• Try Connecting Routes: Consider booking tickets to junctions like Ratlam, Kota, or Mathura and continue the journey via connecting trains.