China Railway released the train ticket sales calendar for the 2026 Mid-Autumn and National Day holidays. Under the rule that tickets go on sale 15 days in advance, tickets for 25 September (Mid-Autumn Festival) can be purchased on 11 September, and tickets for 1 October (National Day) can be purchased on 17 September.
China State Railway Group announced holiday transport from September 23 to October 8, lasting 16 days, with October 1 as the peak day. The national railway will operate a peak schedule with about 13,000 passenger trains daily, including special tourist trains and fan trains. The railway authority reminds that popular trains may sell out quickly and advises passengers to book early.
India's Ixigo has made two strategic moves that extend its business beyond selling individual travel components. First, it launched Ixigo Bharat Darshan, its debut into packaged tours, offering curated spiritual and family travel packages sourced from state-owned IRCTC and bundled into single itineraries on the Ixigo app. The initial offering targets high-demand pilgrimage circuits and family destinations like Kashmir and the Northeast, with prices ranging from about $73 to $3,135, and notably solves a key pain point for Indian rail travelers by including confirmed train tickets alongside hotels and transfers. Second, Ixigo partnered with Uber to embed train-ticket booking directly within t…