Eid Rush: Advance Train Tickets Sell Out Within Minutes
Advance train ticket sales for Eid-ul-Fitr have commenced online. On Friday (March 14) at 8:00 AM, the first batch of tickets for March 24 was made available, with intercity train tickets for the western region of Bangladesh Railway being released. However, tickets for trains traveling to the northern region were sold out almost instantly.
According to official data, 15,773 tickets were available for sale, yet within the first 30 minutes, the railway's online system recorded two million hits. By the latest update, 95% of all available tickets for intercity trains in the western region had already been sold.
Confirming the rapid ticket sales, Shahadat Hossain, Station Manager of Kamalapur Railway Station, stated on Friday afternoon (March 14):
"Advance tickets for 43 intercity trains operating between Dhaka and the western and eastern regions are being sold today. In total, approximately 33,257 tickets will be available for online purchase. Ticket sales for 20 intercity trains in the western region began at 8:00 AM, offering around 17,000 seats. Within 8 to 9 minutes, most of these tickets were sold out. Due to high passenger demand, not everyone is able to secure a ticket."
At 8:09 AM, a quick check on the Rail Sheba app revealed that all tickets for Nilsagar, Ekota, Chilahati, Kurigram, Drutajan, and Panchagarh Express—trains bound for the northern region—had already been sold out. Within 9 minutes, advance tickets for these routes, along with Dhaka-Rajshahi and Dhaka-Khulna routes, were completely booked.
Upcoming Ticket Sales Schedule
As per the railway authority's plan, tickets for the following days will be sold on:
- March 15 – Tickets for March 25
- March 16 – Tickets for March 26
- March 17 – Tickets for March 27
- March 18 – Tickets for March 28
- March 19 – Tickets for March 29
- March 20 – Tickets for March 30
Additionally, tickets for March 31, April 1, and April 2 will be sold based on the official moon sighting.
Additional Arrangements for Passengers
Responding to public demand, 25% of standing tickets will be available at departure stations before the journey begins. Each passenger is allowed to purchase tickets only once and can buy a maximum of four seats. However, no refunds will be issued for purchased tickets.
