Lucknow, Sept. 7 -- Diwali homecoming rush has begun on the railways, nearly two months before the festival. Within minutes of reservation opening for November 6, trains coming to Lucknow from Mumbai and Delhi saw long waiting lists, with several services displaying a 'regret' status soon after.

What makes this year's rush particularly striking is that even premium trains, which are significantly costlier than regular services, are seeing passengers compete for berths 60 days in advance. Trains such as the Tejas and Shatabdi, which often have vacant seats on normal days, are already showing substantial demand during the Diwali period.

The demand is especially high on trains arriving from Mumbai, as many of these services continue toward...