Chhath Puja Travel Guide 2026: Special Trains, Train Booking, Flights, Hotels & Cab Service

Last updated: 6 October 2026 | Written by: Your Travel Partner, Ayodhya | Reading time: about 17 minutes

Getting home for Chhath is harder than keeping the fast, people from Bihar often say. Regular trains are full weeks ahead, airfares climb, and stations overflow. This Chhath Puja travel guide deals with one subject only: how to reach Bihar for Chhath 2026 and how to get back. It covers the special trains announced so far, the booking rules that decide whether you get a ticket, flights, the four busiest origin cities, hotels and cabs. Train numbers, dates and fares are quoted from named reports with their dates. Where something has not been announced, the guide says so.

For the festival itself, see our separate guides: Chhath Puja 2026 date and Arghya time, what Chhath Puja is and how it is done, and Chhath Puja in Bihar: ghats and places.

Quick Answer

Chhath Puja 2026 is from Friday, 13 November to Monday, 16 November. To be home in time, plan to reach Bihar by Thursday, 12 November, and plan the return for Tuesday, 17 November or later. Regular trains for these dates opened for booking in mid-September under the 60-day rule, so the realistic options now are festival special trains, Tatkal (which opens one day before travel at 10:00 AM for AC and 11:00 AM for non-AC classes), flights to Patna, Darbhanga, Gaya or Purnia, or a road journey. Book only on IRCTC or at railway counters, and check special trains on the National Train Enquiry System.

Key Facts at a Glance

What This Guide Covers

• When to travel: the Chhath Puja travel calendar
• Step-by-step plan for a Chhath Puja trip to Bihar
• Four routes compared
• Chhath Puja train options explained
• Chhath Puja special train list for 2026
• Chhath Puja train booking rules
• Chhath Puja flight guide
• Delhi to Patna Chhath Puja travel
• Mumbai to Patna Chhath Puja travel
• Bangalore to Bihar Chhath Puja travel
• Pune to Bihar Chhath Puja travel
• Chhath Puja hotel booking
• Chhath Puja cab service and taxi service
• Chhath Puja travel package: what to check
• Frequently asked questions

When to Travel: The Chhath Puja Travel Calendar

All Chhath Puja travel is shaped by four fixed dates. Work backwards from them. This is the first rule of any Chhath Puja travel guide, and it applies equally to a family going home and to a visitor making a first Chhath Puja trip to Bihar.

Tatkal Opening Dates for the Key Travel Days

Tatkal opens one day before the train's departure from its starting station.

Long-distance trains from Mumbai, Pune and Bengaluru take one to two days to reach Bihar. Count back from your arrival date to find the departure date, and then one more day for Tatkal.

Step-by-Step Plan for a Chhath Puja Trip to Bihar

A Chhath Puja trip to Bihar goes well when the steps are done in this order. Whether your Chhath Puja Bihar trip starts in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru or Pune, the sequence is the same.

1. Fix the two dates. Decide the day you must be home and the day you can leave. Everything else follows.
2. Check regular trains first. Search your route on IRCTC for both dates. Note any train with RAC or a short waiting list.
3. Check the special trains. Search the same route on the National Train Enquiry System (NTES). Festival specials carry numbers beginning with 0.
4. Book the return at the same time. The return rush is as heavy as the inbound rush.
5. Compare a flight. Look at Patna, and also Darbhanga, Gaya and Purnia if your home district is nearer to them.
6. Keep a Tatkal plan. Note the Tatkal date and time from the table above, and complete Aadhaar authentication on your IRCTC account in advance.
7. Arrange the last leg. Decide how you will get from the station or airport to your home or hotel, and book it. If your route passes through Ayodhya, we handle station transfers, airport transfers and cabs there.
8. Book the hotel if you need one. Do this before you travel.
9. Save the documents. Keep the ticket, a photo identity card and the helpline number 139 on your phone and on paper.

This order matters because each later step depends on the earlier one. Many people planning a Chhath Puja Bihar trip book a hotel or cab first and then find there is no train. Follow this Chhath Puja travel guide from step 1 and that will not happen.

Chhath Puja Train Options Explained

Most people making a Chhath Puja Bihar trip go by rail. There are five kinds of Chhath Puja train ticket. Know which one you are buying.

What Railways Has Announced for 2026

• About 12,000 special trains for the Diwali and Chhath season, with services running through November, as reported by HelloRail on 4 October 2026 quoting the Railway Minister.
• 150 fully unreserved trains kept ready for quick deployment, from the same report.
• North Central Railway is organising more than 1,000 special trips as Trains on Demand, from the same report.
• For comparison, a Press Information Bureau release of 21 August 2025 announced more than 12,000 special trains for the 2025 season.

In 2025, Railways also offered a 20% discount on return tickets for round trips within set dates. We have not found an announcement of a similar scheme for 2026 at the time of writing. Check the IRCTC website before assuming it applies.

Chhath Puja Special Train List for 2026

The Chhath Puja special train services below were published by India TV on 13 September 2026 and The Daily Jagran on 28 September 2026. Running days differ from train to train, so confirm the exact dates on NTES before you plan around any of them.

Special Trains to Bihar

Note that the Anand Vihar to Jogbani special is listed as running only until 8 November, which is before Chhath.

Special Trains to Eastern Uttar Pradesh

• The Chandigarh to Patna special is reported to stop at Ambala Cantt, Saharanpur, Roorkee, Moradabad, Bareilly, Shahjahanpur, Varanasi, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Junction, Buxar, Ara and Danapur.
• The Firozpur Cantt to Patna special is reported to stop at Moga, Ludhiana, Ambala Cantt, Saharanpur, Moradabad, Varanasi and Buxar.
• If you board or change at Ayodhya, an e-rickshaw or cab from us can meet you at Ayodhya Cantt or Ayodhya Dham Junction.
• More Chhath Puja special train services are normally notified by the zones as the festival approaches. This list is not complete.
• On special trains with unreserved coaches, buy the ticket meant for that special. The HelloRail report notes that ordinary unreserved tickets are not valid on them.

Chhath Puja Train Booking Rules You Must Know

Chhath Puja train booking follows the same rules as any other booking, but small details decide the outcome when thousands of people click at the same second.

Chhath Puja Train Booking by Tatkal: Step by Step

1. Complete Aadhaar authentication on your IRCTC account well before the day.
2. Save the passengers in the Master List so that names are not typed at the last minute.
3. Keep the payment method ready. A wallet or UPI that needs one approval is fastest.
4. Log in a few minutes before the opening time. Logging in too early can lead to a session timeout.
5. At 10:00 AM for AC or 11:00 AM for non-AC, search the train, choose Tatkal quota and book.
6. If the first train shows waiting, try the next one at once.

The same steps apply to Chhath Puja train booking on a festival special when its reservation opens. Be logged in before the opening time.

Cancellation Charges on Confirmed Tickets

These are as summarised by LastBerth. Please verify the current rule on the IRCTC website before you cancel.

Safe Chhath Puja Train Booking

• Book only on the IRCTC website or app, authorised IRCTC partners, or at railway counters.
• Do not pay anyone who promises a "confirmed ticket" outside these channels.
• Carry the original photo identity card used in the booking.
• For help on the journey, dial 139 or use the RailMadad service.

Chhath Puja Flight Guide

For those short of leave, flying is the practical way to make a Chhath Puja trip to Bihar. A Chhath Puja flight saves a day or two, at a price. Start by choosing the right airport.

Patna routes are from FlightConnections. Darbhanga and Purnia routes are from their Wikipedia pages. Purnia Airport opened to passengers on 15 September 2025. Airline schedules change, so confirm on the airline's own website.

What a Chhath Puja Flight Costs This Season

On 3 October 2026, Patna Press reported these one-way fares for travel on 7 November 2026, the day before Diwali.

The same report said fares on some routes could reach four times the normal level as the festivals approach, and that they were expected to return to normal after 20 November. These figures are for 7 November. Fares for the Chhath dates will differ, so check the live fare.

Chhath Puja Flight Booking Tips

• Compare all four Bihar airports against your home district before you pay for Patna.
• Compare one-stop flights. They are sometimes cheaper than non-stop ones in festival weeks.
• Check the fare on the airline's own website as well as on a travel portal.
• Read the baggage allowance. Festival travellers often carry more than the free limit.
• Patna's new terminal has been in use since 3 June 2025. The airport handles domestic flights.
• Ayodhya also has an airport. If you fly there for darshan before going on to Bihar, see our airport pickup, e-rickshaw and darshan packages.

Four Routes Compared: Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Pune

This table puts the four busiest origins side by side. The details and sources for each are in the sections that follow.

The "leave by" day assumes the listed running time and no delay. Trains often run late in festival weeks, so a one-day margin is wise for anyone keeping the vrat.

Train or Flight: How to Decide

Delhi to Patna Chhath Puja Travel

Delhi to Patna Chhath Puja travel is the corridor with the most trains, the most festival specials and the most flights. If you are searching for Delhi to Patna Chhath Puja options today, start with the special trains, because regular trains opened for booking in mid-September.

• Delhi trains to Bihar leave from New Delhi, Delhi Junction and Anand Vihar Terminal. Check which one before you leave home.
• If your home is in north Bihar, a special to Muzaffarpur or Sitamarhi may be more useful than a Patna train.
• For the Delhi to Patna Chhath Puja rush, reach the station early. Large stations manage festival crowds through controlled entry.

Mumbai to Patna Chhath Puja Travel

For a Mumbai to Patna Chhath Puja trip, timing is everything. Mumbai to Patna Chhath Puja journeys take more than a day by train, so the departure date matters as much as the arrival date.

• The 12141 is listed as leaving Lokmanya Tilak Terminus at 23:35 and arriving at 03:50, which is the second morning after departure. On those timings, a departure on Tuesday, 10 November arrives in the early hours of Thursday, 12 November, and its Tatkal opens on Monday, 9 November.
• Mumbai trains to Bihar leave from Lokmanya Tilak Terminus and CSMT. They are far apart, so check the station on the ticket.
• Central Railway and Western Railway notify their own festival specials. Search NTES for the latest Mumbai to Patna Chhath Puja specials.
• A Chhath Puja flight from Mumbai or Navi Mumbai is the fallback if no berth is available.

Bangalore to Bihar Chhath Puja Travel

Plan a Bangalore to Bihar Chhath Puja journey earlier than any other. Bangalore to Bihar Chhath Puja travel is the longest of the four routes, close to two days by train.

• On the listed timings, the Humsafar leaving Bengaluru on Sunday, 8 November reaches Patna on Tuesday, 10 November.
• To reach Danapur by Thursday, 12 November on the Sanghamitra, you need to leave Bengaluru by Tuesday, 10 November.
• Because the train takes about two days, many people on the Bangalore to Bihar Chhath Puja route fly one way and take the train the other way.
• South Western Railway notifies its own specials. Check NTES for Bengaluru to Danapur or Patna specials.

Pune to Bihar Chhath Puja Travel

The Pune to Bihar Chhath Puja route is served by more direct trains than many people expect. Pune to Bihar Chhath Puja travellers have direct trains to several Bihar towns, which is an advantage if home is not Patna.

The 12149 Pune Danapur Express is also listed on booking portals. Running days vary, so confirm each train on NTES.

• Non-stop flights from Pune to Patna are listed with IndiGo and SpiceJet.
• One of the trains starts from Hadapsar, not Pune Junction.
• For a Pune to Bihar Chhath Puja journey of about 30 to 35 hours, leave Pune by Tuesday, 10 November to be home by Thursday, 12 November.

Chhath Puja Hotel Booking

Rooms are the part of a Chhath Puja Bihar trip that people leave too late. Chhath Puja hotel booking is needed by two groups: visitors who have come to see the festival, and families whose homes are full.

• Do the Chhath Puja hotel booking before you buy a non-refundable flight, or at least hold a room with free cancellation.
• Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation runs its own hotels. See the BSTDC website.
• Alcohol is prohibited in Bihar. Hotels do not serve it.
• If you stop in Ayodhya on the way, we can help with your stay there as part of our Ayodhya packages, with station pickup included on request. For hotels in Bihar, book directly with the hotel or through a portal you trust.
• Treat Chhath Puja hotel booking like a train ticket: confirm it, save the voucher and recheck it two days before travel.

Chhath Puja Cab Service and Taxi Service

The last few kilometres are often the hardest. A Chhath Puja cab service is useful for three legs: station or airport to home, home district to Patna, and the return to the station after the festival.

A Chhath Puja taxi service booked at the station on the day is possible, but in festival week it means waiting and bargaining. A pre-booked Chhath Puja cab service with a named driver removes both.

Choosing a Chhath Puja Taxi Service

• Use a registered operator with a commercial vehicle. This applies to any Chhath Puja taxi service, in any city.
• Ask for the fare in writing, with what is included and what is extra.
• Take the driver's name, phone number and vehicle number before the day.
• Book the Chhath Puja taxi service for the return leg at the same time as the arrival leg.
• For large families with samagri, ask for a larger vehicle. Sugarcane and baskets take space.

Our Chhath Puja Cab Service From Ayodhya

Your Travel Partner is based in Ayodhya. We do not operate a local taxi fleet in Bihar. What we do provide is this:

• Station transfers in Ayodhya. A festival special, 04213 and 04214, runs between Ayodhya Cantt and Anand Vihar Terminal from 1 October to 30 November 2026. If you use Ayodhya as your railhead, book our railway station pickup and drop.
• Airport transfers. For flights into Ayodhya, see our Ayodhya airport transfer.
• Outstation cabs. Ask us about an outstation cab from Ayodhya towards eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. We will tell you clearly whether a vehicle is available on your dates and what it will cost.
• Local travel in Ayodhya. An e-rickshaw covers the temples and the Saryu ghats.
• A darshan stop on the way. Our Ayodhya tour packages suit families who want Ram Lalla's darshan before or after Chhath. Darshan and all passes at the Ram Mandir are free and are issued only by the Trust.

Whether you call it a Chhath Puja taxi service or a cab, the booking steps with us are the same: share the date, the pickup point, the drop point and the number of passengers, and we reply with availability and the fare. Call or WhatsApp +91 78811 55800.

Chhath Puja Travel Package: What to Check

A Chhath Puja travel package can mean very different things. Some cover only transport, and some are festival tours for visitors.

In November 2024, Travel and Tour World reported that BSTDC had introduced a four-day Chhath festival package with guided cruises along the Ganga ghats, hotel stay and sightseeing. We have not seen an announcement of a 2026 package at the time of writing. Check with BSTDC directly.

Before paying for any Chhath Puja travel package, treat it like any other purchase for your Chhath Puja Bihar trip and ask for the details in writing.

Questions to Ask Before Buying a Chhath Puja Travel Package

1. Which dates and how many nights are covered?
2. Is the train or flight ticket included, or only the land part?
3. Which hotel, and how far is it from the ghat on foot?
4. What is the cancellation and refund policy?
5. Is the vehicle available on both Arghya days, and where will it drop you?
6. Is the operator registered, and will you get a written invoice?

A Chhath Puja travel package is worth buying only when these six answers are clear and in writing. Our own packages cover Ayodhya, with a cab, e-rickshaw and station transfer as needed, and we state the inclusions in writing.

Chhath Puja Train Journey: At the Station and on Board

• Reach the station well before departure. Festival crowds slow down entry and platform access.
• Check the platform number on NTES or the station display. Special trains may leave from a different platform or terminal.
• Keep children and elders in the middle of the group while boarding.
• Carry water, food and essential medicines. Long-distance trains run late in festival weeks.
• Keep luggage light and locked. Carry samagri that can break in hand baggage.
• Use 139 or RailMadad for medical help, security or cleanliness complaints.

Common Chhath Puja Travel Mistakes to Avoid

Every year the same errors spoil a Chhath Puja trip to Bihar. This part of the Chhath Puja travel guide lists them so you can avoid them.

• Waiting for a special train without checking NTES. Specials are notified in batches and fill quickly.
• Counting the 60 days from your boarding station. The window follows the train's starting station.
• Trying Tatkal without Aadhaar authentication. The booking will not go through online.
• Booking only the onward ticket. The return is just as hard to get.
• Returning on the evening of 16 November. It is the peak outbound slot.
• Paying an agent outside authorised channels. A ticket that is not on your IRCTC account or a counter printout cannot be relied on.
• Ignoring Darbhanga, Gaya and Purnia airports. They may be closer to home than Patna.
• Leaving the airport or station pickup to chance. Book it in advance. In Ayodhya, that is our airport transfer service.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. When should I start my Chhath Puja Bihar trip in 2026?

Chhath Puja 2026 is from 13 to 16 November. Plan to arrive by Thursday, 12 November and to return on Tuesday, 17 November or later.

2. When did train booking open for Chhath 2026?

Under the 60-day rule, regular trains for 10 to 13 November opened for booking in mid-September 2026. Festival special trains open when each zone notifies them.

3. How many Chhath Puja special trains are running in 2026?

About 12,000 special trains were reported for the Diwali and Chhath season of 2026, along with 150 fully unreserved trains kept ready, according to a HelloRail report of 4 October 2026.

4. Which Chhath Puja special train runs from Delhi to Patna?

Train 04096 from Anand Vihar Terminal to Patliputra and 04095 in the return direction are reported to run from 1 October to 30 November 2026 with 120 trips. Confirm the running days on NTES.

5. What time does Tatkal booking open?

Tatkal opens one day before the train's departure, at 10:00 AM for AC classes and 11:00 AM for non-AC classes.

6. Is Aadhaar needed for Chhath Puja train booking?

Online Tatkal booking requires an Aadhaar-authenticated IRCTC account. Complete the authentication before the booking day.

7. Is there a discount on return train tickets for Chhath 2026?

In 2025, Railways offered a 20% discount on return tickets for round trips within set dates. We have not found an announcement of the same scheme for 2026. Check the IRCTC website.

8. How far is Patna from Delhi by train?

About 1,016 km. The fastest listed train, the 12310 Tejas Rajdhani, takes about 11 hours 28 minutes.

9. How long does the train take from Mumbai to Patna?

The listed trains take between about 26 and 33 hours for roughly 1,697 km.

10. Which train goes from Bangalore to Bihar?

The 12295 Sanghamitra Express runs daily from SMVT Bengaluru to Danapur, covering 2,681 km in about 43 hours 45 minutes. The 22354 Humsafar Express to Patna runs weekly.

11. Are there direct trains from Pune to Bihar?

Yes. Trains are listed from Pune to Danapur, Darbhanga, Supaul and Muzaffarpur, with journey times of about 29 to 35 hours.

12. Which airports can I fly to for Chhath in Bihar?

Patna, Gaya, Darbhanga and Purnia have scheduled flights. Choose the one nearest to your home district.

13. How expensive is a Chhath Puja flight to Patna?

For 7 November 2026, one-way fares of Rs 17,000 to Rs 20,000 from Delhi and Rs 20,000 to Rs 22,000 from Mumbai were reported on 3 October 2026. Fares for the Chhath dates may differ, so check the live fare.

14. When will fares come down?

Patna Press reported that fares were expected to return to normal after 20 November 2026.

15. Where should I do my Chhath Puja hotel booking in Patna?

Within walking distance of the ghat you plan to visit, because vehicles are restricted near the river on the Arghya days.

16. Is a Chhath Puja taxi service available on the Arghya days?

Cabs can run to the nearest permitted drop point, but not to the ghats. Confirm the drop point and the walking distance with the operator.

17. Does Your Travel Partner run a Chhath Puja cab service in Bihar?

No. We are based in Ayodhya. We provide station and airport transfers in Ayodhya, outstation cabs from Ayodhya subject to availability, and Ayodhya darshan packages.

18. Is there a special train from Ayodhya this season?

Yes. Trains 04213 and 04214 between Ayodhya Cantt and Anand Vihar Terminal are reported to run from 1 October to 30 November 2026 with 36 trips.

19. What if my waiting-list ticket does not confirm?

A fully waitlisted e-ticket is cancelled automatically after charting and the fare is refunded. Keep a Tatkal or special-train option ready.

20. What is the railway helpline number?

Dial 139 for railway enquiries and help during the journey.

Conclusion

To sum up this Chhath Puja travel guide: Chhath Puja travel in 2026 comes down to dates and discipline. Be home by 12 November, return on or after 17 November, check the special trains on NTES every few days, keep Tatkal ready with Aadhaar authentication done, compare all four Bihar airports, and settle the hotel and the last-leg cab before you leave. Use only official booking channels.

If Ayodhya is on your way, or if a darshan of Ram Lalla is part of your Chhath Puja trip to Bihar, we can help with the Ayodhya leg, including an e-rickshaw for the temple zone. Call or WhatsApp Your Travel Partner on +91 78811 55800 for a station transfer, an airport transfer, a cab or a darshan package. We wish you a safe journey home.

Official and Useful Links

• IRCTC: train ticket booking
• National Train Enquiry System (NTES)
• Indian Railways
• RailMadad: help and complaints
• Press Information Bureau
• Airports Authority of India
• Directorate General of Civil Aviation
• Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation
• Patna district administration

Disclaimer: Train numbers, running periods, timings and fares are quoted from the press and portal reports named in this article, as on the dates stated. Railways and airlines can change schedules and fares at any time. Please confirm every detail on IRCTC, NTES or the airline's website before you book or travel.