Bangladesh Railway Opens Advance Eid-ul-Adha Train Ticket Sales Today — Full Schedule, Rules, and What Passengers Must Know
Bangladesh Railway has launched advance train ticket sales for Eid-ul-Adha on May 28. Tickets for May 26 journeys go on sale today, May 16. All seats are available online only. Here is the full date-wise ticket sales schedule, purchase limits, and refund rules for Eid 2026.
Munni Khatun 
With Eid-ul-Adha falling on May 28 this year, millions of Bangladeshis are preparing to make their annual journey home — and Bangladesh Railway has opened the advance ticket window for those planning to travel by train. Today, Saturday May 16, marks the fourth day of the railway's special Eid advance ticket sale, covering seats on trains departing May 26, the fourth day of the pre-Eid travel rush.
In a move designed to ease the enormous pressure on ticketing systems during the festive period, Bangladesh Railway has made 100 per cent of available seats bookable through online channels only — eliminating counter queues and giving passengers the convenience of securing their seats from home.
Today's ticket sale timings — east and west zones of Bangladesh Railway
Bangladesh Railway has divided today's ticket release into two windows based on the railway zone:
- Western Zone trains (departing May 26): Ticket sales open at 8:00 AM on Saturday, May 16
- Eastern Zone trains (departing May 26): Ticket sales open at 2:00 PM on Saturday, May 16
Passengers are advised to be ready well ahead of their respective opening time, as demand for Eid train seats in Bangladesh consistently outstrips supply within minutes of tickets going live.
Full five-day advance ticket schedule
Bangladesh Railway's operational plan covers five pre-Eid travel days through a rolling advance sale system, where tickets for each departure date go on sale exactly ten days prior. The complete schedule for intercity train advance tickets is as follows:
- Tickets for May 23 departures — sold on May 13 (completed)
- Tickets for May 24 departures — sold on May 14 (completed)
- Tickets for May 25 departures — sold on May 15 (completed)
- Tickets for May 26 departures — on sale today, May 16
- Tickets for May 27 departures — on sale May 17 (tomorrow)
May 27 tickets, available tomorrow, will be the final batch of Eid advance sales under this special arrangement. Passengers who have not yet secured a seat for their preferred travel date should note that once a date's allocation is sold out, no additional tickets are released under the advance sale scheme.
Purchase limits and the no-refund rule
Bangladesh Railway has put firm limits in place to prevent bulk buying and ticket scalping during the Eid advance sale period. The key rules passengers must be aware of:
- One purchase per passenger: Each traveller may buy Eid advance tickets only once during the entire advance sale window.
- Maximum four tickets per transaction: A single purchase cannot exceed four seats, regardless of the number of travellers in a group.
- No refunds: Eid advance journey tickets are strictly non-refundable. Passengers are strongly advised to confirm their travel plans before completing a purchase, as no cancellations or reimbursements will be processed under any circumstances.
The no-refund policy is consistent with Bangladesh Railway's approach to high-demand festive ticketing and is intended to discourage speculative buying that leaves genuine travellers without seats.
100 per cent online — how to book
This year, Bangladesh Railway has moved the entire Eid advance sale online. No tickets for the five pre-Eid travel days are being sold at physical counters under the advance arrangement. Passengers can purchase tickets through Bangladesh Railway's official online ticketing portal and its mobile application.
Given the volume of users expected to access the platform simultaneously — particularly at the 8:00 AM and 2:00 PM opening windows — passengers should ensure they are logged into their account, have their travel details ready, and complete payment quickly once seats are selected. High traffic on the platform during peak opening windows can cause slowdowns, and seats are not held while payment is being processed.
One of Bangladesh's biggest annual travel events
The days immediately before Eid-ul-Adha represent one of the largest mass-movement events in Bangladesh, as tens of millions of people travel from Dhaka and other major cities to their home districts to celebrate the festival with family. Trains remain the preferred mode of long-distance travel for a significant portion of this traffic, owing to their relatively low cost, fixed schedule, and ability to cover distances that road travel makes difficult during the notorious Eid traffic congestion.
Bangladesh Railway's decision to go fully online for Eid advance sales reflects an ongoing shift toward digital ticketing that began in earnest over the past several years — reducing physical crowding at station counters and, in principle, making access more equitable for passengers across the country.
For passengers yet to book, today's 8:00 AM and 2:00 PM windows for May 26 travel, and tomorrow's sale for May 27, represent the final opportunities under the advance scheme. Book early, book once, and confirm your plans before clicking confirm — there are no second chances on refunds this Eid.
— Reporting by Staff Reporter. Based on Bangladesh Railway's official Eid advance ticket operational plan for 2026.
