Booking bus and train tickets in Bangladesh

How do you book a train ticket in Bangladesh?

Bangladesh Railway sells tickets through its official e-ticketing service and at station counters. Registration requires an NID, and tickets are issued against the traveller's name — they are not transferable, and checks do happen.

Tickets release a set number of days before departure and popular routes can sell out within minutes of release, particularly around Eid. Know the release time and be ready at it; that matters more than any booking trick.

How do you book intercity buses?

Major operators — Green Line, Shohagh, Hanif, Ena and others — sell through their own counters, their own apps and third-party platforms. AC and non-AC differ substantially in both price and comfort on long routes.

For overnight journeys to Cox's Bazar or Sylhet, the operator matters more than the platform you book on. Ask about the coach type, not just the fare.

What should you plan around?

Eid travel is its own category. Demand exceeds capacity on every mode, tickets vanish at release, and road journeys take considerably longer than the timetable suggests. If you can shift your dates by even a day or two either side, do.

For Cox's Bazar specifically, consider whether the overnight bus is genuinely cheaper once you account for arriving tired on the first day of a short trip.

Common questions

Where can I buy Bangladesh train tickets online?

Through the official Bangladesh Railway e-ticketing platform at eticket.railway.gov.bd, or at station counters. Registration requires a National ID, and tickets are issued in the traveller's name.

Sources and further reading

• Bangladesh Railway e-ticketingThe official railway ticketing platform