New Delhi
Within just one minute, 165 seats in AC 3-Tier Class were fully booked; within three minutes, the waiting list hit 300; and within ten minutes, a “REGRET” status—indicating no availability whatsoever—appeared not only for Sleeper and AC 3-Tier classes but also for AC 2-Tier and AC 1st Class. Such is the fierce scramble for seats on certain trains bound for Bihar these days. While a shortage of tickets typically persists year-round on most trains heading to Eastern India, the situation becomes particularly acute during festivals and the summer holidays.
For passengers traveling from New Delhi to Darbhanga, booking tickets on two major trains—the *Bihar Sampark Kranti* and the *Swatantrata Senani*—has become a formidable challenge these days. When ticket sales open exactly 60 days prior to the date of travel, thousands of people—whether queuing at ticket counters or waiting at their laptops and mobile phones—are poised to book. Yet, let alone securing a confirmed seat, people now consider themselves lucky if they manage to obtain even a spot on the waiting list.
One such user shared a startling experience he underwent on Wednesday when he attempted to book a ticket for May 24th on the *Bihar Sampark Kranti* train. He recounted, “I logged into the IRCTC website at exactly 8:00 AM. Within two minutes—while simultaneously entering the details for three passengers—I completed the payment of ₹4,584.95 via UPI. After the transaction processed for a brief moment, when the ticket status appeared at 8:03 AM, I was stunned by the waiting list numbers. The waiting list positions were 291, 292, and 293. Ten minutes later, when I logged in again to check the status on the *Swatantrata Senani*, all seats on both trains were completely full. The only tickets still available—albeit on the waiting list—were in the AC 1st Class section of the *Swatantrata Senani*.”
Not even a spot on the waiting list available.
No Ticket Secured, Hit by Cancellation Charges
The passenger stated that he would attempt to book again the following day. He remarked, “It is conceivable that you might secure a spot on the ‘Hot Seat’ of *Kaun Banega Crorepati* (KBC) by winning the ‘Fastest Finger First’ round; however, to secure a ticket on these trains, you need the combined power of supersonic speed and sheer luck.” “The unfortunate reality is that confirming a waiting list of 300 is simply not possible, and canceling the ticket incurs a cancellation fee. To receive a full refund, one has to wait for two months. In every respect, it is the passenger who ends up suffering.”
**The Situation of Delhi-Patna Trains**
Seats have already been fully booked on most trains traveling from Delhi to Patna. Fortunately, waiting list tickets are still available for trains bound for Patna. However, with 60 days still remaining before departure, the waiting lists have already grown so long that securing a confirmed seat appears highly unlikely. For passengers traveling from Delhi to Patna, the highly sought-after *Sampoorna Kranti Express* currently has a waiting list of 123 in the Sleeper Class, as of the time of writing. The AC-3 Economy Class is already marked as ‘REGRET’ (indicating no further bookings are accepted). The waiting list stands at 75 in AC-3, 20 in AC-2, and just one in AC-1. On the *Vikramshila Express*, neither waiting list tickets nor confirmed seats are available in the Sleeper Class or AC-3 Economy Class. The waiting list for this train stands at 95 in AC-3 and 33 in AC-2. On the *Patna Rajdhani*, a few RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation) seats are available in AC-3, while only a handful of seats remain vacant in AC-2.
