Diwali Fare Hike: Ahmedabad–Delhi Flight Tickets Near ₹25,000, Trains Packed With ‘Regret’ Status

With Diwali around the corner, last-minute travel plans are becoming a costly affair. Airfares on the Ahmedabad–Delhi route have skyrocketed, with one-way tickets now touching nearly ₹25,000. At the same time, most trains headed towards North India are already showing ‘Regret’ status until October 25, leaving passengers stranded without confirmed tickets.

The festive season officially begins on October 18, but bookings had surged as early as July. Normally, an Ahmedabad–Delhi one-way ticket costs around ₹4,500. However, for October 18, minimum fares are at ₹11,300 while maximum fares touch ₹24,649.

Those hoping to switch to trains face an equally grim situation. Key trains like the Ashram Express and Rajdhani Express are already in ‘Regret’ mode, with waiting lists soaring—225 in Rajdhani alone.

Other destinations are no exception. Ayodhya airfares have climbed to ₹18,000, while Varanasi fares touch ₹22,000, with over 130 passengers on the waiting list. Travel agents warn that from October 18 to 28, most trains heading towards North India will remain in a ‘No Room’ state. Even Kolkata-bound trains show waitlists above 200.

Industry insiders claim that airlines and agents often block tickets in advance, releasing them later at inflated rates depending on demand. Last year, this strategy backfired, forcing sellers to offload tickets at discounts even on Diwali day.