Eid ul Fitr — the celebration marking the end of Ramadan — is the single largest travel event on Bangladesh Railway's annual calendar. Tens of millions of Bangladeshis travel to their home districts in the days preceding Eid, and then return to Dhaka and other major cities afterward. Bangladesh Railway handles more passengers during this 5–7 day rush period than virtually any comparable event in South Asia proportional to network size.
Eid ul Fitr 2026 is expected to fall on or around March 30–31 (subject to moon sighting confirmation). Bangladesh Railway typically announces the Eid special train schedule and advance ticket sale dates approximately 3–4 weeks before Eid.
For Eid ul Fitr 2026, Bangladesh Railway plans to deploy: (1) Additional special trains on all major corridors — Dhaka–Chittagong, Dhaka–Sylhet, Dhaka–Rajshahi, Dhaka–Khulna, and Dhaka–Nilphamari. (2) Extended ticketing hours at all major stations including Kamalapur, Airport, Bangladeshpur, Chittagong, and Sylhet. (3) E-ticket sales priority for the first wave of special train tickets. (4) Enhanced security and crowd management at all major stations.
Advance ticket sale guide: Online e-tickets (eticket.railway.gov.bd) typically go on sale 10 days before departure. For Eid, Bangladesh Railway may additionally open tickets approximately 20–25 days in advance for special trains. Counter tickets at stations typically open 3–5 days after online sales begin. Each NID card holder is limited to 4 tickets per session.
Critical tips for Eid travel: (1) Do not wait — book tickets the moment they open. Eid tickets sell out within hours, sometimes minutes, for premium trains. (2) If premium trains (Subarna, Parabat, Turna) are sold out, check mail trains and local services — they often have remaining seats. (3) Arrive at Kamalapur station at least 1.5–2 hours before departure during the Eid rush. (4) Travel on odd-numbered days (not the day before or after Eid itself) to avoid peak crowds. (5) Track your train via SMS "tr [number]" to 16318 before heading to the station.