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Technical issues plagued the IRCTC website and app during ticket booking for the Diwali and Chhath festivals. Frustrated travelers took to X (formerly Twitter) to share screenshots and question the Railway Minister, the Prime Minister, and IRCTC.

The plight of rail passengers preparing to travel home for Diwali and Chhath is now evident on social media. As soon as booking opened, many passengers reported seeing a "We are experiencing High Load, Please retry" message on the IRCTC website and app.

Users shared videos and screenshots of their screens on X, tagging Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and IRCTC to ask why passengers—who pay the full fare—are unable to secure tickets on time.

Booking opens, and 'High Load' message appears on the website

Ticket bookings for travel during the Diwali week—specifically November 5, 6, and 7—commenced on September 7. Immediately after booking opened, many passengers complained about the website running slowly and encountering frequent errors.

A user from Surat shared two videos on X on September 7, asking, "Do 'normal' users not pay IRCTC?" According to the user, the "High Load" message was still appearing on the website around 8:20 AM. The videos showed error pop-ups appearing repeatedly. The user also shared a screenshot for the Tapti Ganga Express (19045) traveling from Udhna Junction to Bihar on November 6, showing the Sleeper Class waiting list had already reached 93.

'Passengers aren't asking for a favor'

An X account dedicated to rail passengers from Jharkhand also posted about the issue. It claimed that as soon as booking starts at 8 AM, the website displays "High Load" errors, the server slows down, and payment transactions often fail. The post raises a question: if the Railways knows in advance that there will be immense pressure on bookings during the festive season, why isn't the system strengthened accordingly?

Passengers state that they are not asking for free services from the Railways; they pay for their tickets. Therefore, securing a confirmed ticket should not depend merely on whose internet connection or system happens to work faster.

What are the passengers' primary complaints?

Complaints surfacing on social media highlight four main issues:

Encountering "High Load" errors on the website the moment bookings open at 8 AM.
Seats moving to the "waiting list" status by the time the system actually starts functioning.
Money being deducted during payment without the ticket being booked.
The website returning to normal operation only after the seats are already sold out.
Some passengers have reported facing similar issues on the new beta website and the RailOne app.

"Ordinary passengers can't get tickets—how do touts manage it?"

The greatest anger on social media stems from the fact that while ordinary passengers struggle to book tickets, some individuals claim to secure them through touts.

Some passengers have questioned how touts manage to obtain tickets when the system is under such heavy load. However, no investigation has yet confirmed a direct link between touts and these specific complaints; therefore, this claim cannot be stated as an established fact.

Congress also targets the Railways

Amidst passenger complaints, the Congress party targeted Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on September 9 by sharing a video on social media. Taking a dig at the Railway Minister's social media activity, the party remarked that he is only capable of making "Reels." This post by the Congress also emerged amidst the ongoing debate regarding ticket booking difficulties.

Why do problems persist despite the new website?

Questions regarding the IRCTC website are arising partly because a new version was launched recently. The new beta website was introduced on July 15, featuring reduced captcha and pop-up requirements, as well as fewer steps in the ticket booking process. However, the Railways had also clarified that the new reservation engine would be integrated later; meaning, while the website's interface had been updated, the entire backend system powering ticket bookings had not yet migrated to the new engine.

The current system has a reported capacity of approximately 32,000 tickets per minute, whereas the new system is being designed to handle over 1.5 lakh tickets per minute.

Is a shortage of seats—not just server issues—a major factor?

It would be incorrect to attribute the inability to secure tickets during festivals solely to website or server issues. There is immense demand for trains bound for Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and other states during Diwali and Chhath. As soon as bookings open, a vast number of passengers attempt to purchase tickets simultaneously.

Consequently, even if the system functions perfectly, it is not possible to provide a confirmed seat to every passenger. Seats on special trains are also limited, and these trains operate only on specific scheduled dates.

What has the Railways stated previously?

The Railways has previously maintained that the IRCTC online ticketing system operates normally for the vast majority of the time. The system's uptime between April and October 2025 was reported at 99.98 percent. The Railways has also consistently highlighted the role of bots, fake accounts, and touts in contributing to the ticket shortage.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha in December 2025 that approximately 3.02 crore suspicious user IDs had been deactivated since January 2025. To curb the use of bots and fake accounts, a system requiring Aadhaar-verified accounts for online ticket booking on the day bookings open has been implemented. Additionally, agents are prohibited from making bookings during the initial 10-minute window.

However, as of the time of writing this report, there had been no new statement from IRCTC or the Ministry of Railways regarding the complaints about ticket bookings that surfaced this week.

The Real Test for Chhath Tickets Is Yet to Come

This year, Chhath Puja will take place between November 13 and 16. The Sandhya Arghya (evening offering) is scheduled for November 15. A very high volume of travelers is expected to head home on November 12 and 13, just before Chhath. Bookings for these dates are likely to open around September 13–14.

If issues such as high website traffic, payment failures, and tickets rapidly moving to the waiting list persist during that time, scrutiny of the Railways’ online booking system could intensify.

Essential Tips for Booking Tickets

If you plan to travel home by train for Diwali or Chhath, make some preparations in advance:
Verify your IRCTC account with Aadhaar beforehand.
Save passenger details in the ‘Master List’ in advance.
Log in a few minutes before booking opens.
Opt for the ‘VIKALP’ scheme if you get a waitlisted ticket.
Keep checking for information on special trains run by the Railways.
If you cannot secure a ticket online, try booking through the reservation counter.

If money is deducted after payment but the ticket is not generated, the amount is usually refunded; however, if you do not receive the refund, file a complaint with IRCTC.