Sales of Eid advance train tickets from 1 July

Bangladesh Railway will start selling advance train tickets for Eid-ul-Azha holidays from 1 July.

Eid holidaymakers will be able to purchase tickets both online and at counters simultaneously from 8 am to 4 pm on the day. 

Tickets for 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 July travels will be available on 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 July respectively, Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujon said at a press conference on Wednesday. 

A passenger can buy a maximum of four tickets and advance tickets will not be refunded, he noted.

Besides, return tickets will be on sale from Jul 7. The tickets for 11, 12 and 13 July will be sold on 7, 8 and 9 July while the advance tickets for 14 and 15 July will be available on 11 July.

A total of 26,713 tickets will be sold each day – the half will be sold online.

Eid-ul-Adha, the second largest religious festival of Muslims, will be celebrated on 10 July, subject to the appearance of the moon.

"We want to bring railway services to the people's doorsteps," the railway minister said.

"With the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, we will take various initiatives to take the railways forward in terms of technology," he also said.

The minister said six pairs of special trains will be operated to facilitate the Eid travels

They are Dewanganj Special for Dhaka- Dewanganj, Chandpur Special 1 and 2 for Chattogram-Chandpur, Bir Muktijoddha Sirajul Islam (Panchagarh) Eid Special for Joydebpur and Sholakia Special 1 & 2 for Bhairab-Kishoreganj and Mymensingh routes.

"Besides, no tickets for the Eid special trains that will run three days before Eid and four days after Eid day, will be available online.

The tickets must be collected from the counters," he added.

Railway minister said each sales centre will have separate counters for women and the disabled. 

The advance ticket sales will be managed from six stations.

Mitali Express will be shut on 6-14 July and Bondhan Express on 8-14 July.