Planning a bank visit in October? Check the calendar before you step out.

October 2026 is packed with Gandhi Jayanti, Dussehra, Durga Puja and regional celebrations, along with the usual second and fourth Saturdays and Sundays. In fact, banks will have multiple closure dates during the month, but here’s the catch: not every holiday applies to every city or state.

So, if you have a cheque to deposit, documents to submit or a locker visit planned, knowing the exact dates could save you an unnecessary trip.

Here is the complete Bank Holidays in October 2026 calendar, including major festival closures, regional holidays and important dates to remember.

Bank Holidays in October 2026: Complete Calendar

According to the RBI-based holiday schedule, bank closures in October include national, regional and regular weekend holidays. The National Portal of India separately lists October 2 as Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday and October 20 as Dussehra among the central government holidays.

The RBI holiday schedule is organised by banking centres, which is why the same festival can result in closures in one location and normal banking hours in another.

October 2: Gandhi Jayanti

Friday, October 2, is Gandhi Jayanti and banks will remain closed across India. It is one of the clearest nationwide closures in the month and is also listed as a Gazetted holiday on the Government of India’s holiday calendar.

If you need branch-based services, plan them before or after the holiday.

October 10: Second Saturday

October 10 is the second Saturday of the month, making it a regular bank holiday across India.

There is also a Mahalaya Amavasye holiday for selected banking centres, including Bengaluru and Kolkata, according to the RBI-based schedule.

October 17–23: The Big Festive Stretch

This is where the October calendar gets particularly busy.

On October 17, banks in Agartala will observe a holiday for Maha Saptami. October 19 brings a cluster of observances including Dussehra, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami, Ayudha Puja and Durga Puja across several eastern, northeastern and southern centres.

October 20 is another major closure date, with Dussehra, Vijaya Dashami, Mahanavami, Ayudha Puja and Durga Puja observed across numerous banking centres. October 21 continues the festive closures in selected locations, while Gangtok has additional Durga Puja/Dasain holidays on October 22 and 23.

This is why checking your city-specific calendar matters more than simply looking at a nationwide holiday list.

October Bank Holiday List: What Are the Major Festival Closures?

If you are specifically tracking the October Bank Holiday List, the biggest concentration comes around Dussehra and Durga Puja.

The dussehra bank holidays are spread across October 19, 20 and 21 depending on the banking centre. October 20 is the principal Dussehra/Vijaya Dashami date listed for numerous centres, while other locations observe related holidays on October 19 or 21.

The durga puja bank holidays are similarly location-specific. West Bengal and several northeastern centres have multiple closures during the festival period, while Gangtok has additional holidays extending to October 22 and 23.

Meanwhile, the Gandhi Jayanti bank holiday on October 2 is nationwide, making it one date customers across India can confidently mark on their calendars.

October 24: Fourth Saturday

After the festive rush, another nationwide closure arrives on Saturday, October 24.

It is the fourth Saturday of the month, when scheduled and non-scheduled banks remain closed. All Sundays are also regular bank holidays. In October 2026, Sundays fall on October 4, 11, 18 and 25.

The first, third and fifth Saturdays are not automatically bank holidays, unless a separate regional holiday applies.

October 26, 29 and 31: Regional Bank Holidays

The final week also has a few location-specific closures.

October 26 has holidays for Laxmi Puja, Accession Day and Maharishi Valmiki’s Birthday in selected centres. October 29 is a Karva Chauth holiday in Himachal Pradesh, while October 31 marks Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s Birthday as a bank holiday in Gujarat.

So, if you are travelling between states or cities, don’t assume your home branch’s holiday schedule will apply elsewhere.

Will UPI and Net Banking Work on Bank Holidays?

Yes, in most cases.

A bank branch being closed does not mean banking services completely stop. UPI, mobile banking and internet banking generally continue to be available, while ATMs usually remain operational for services such as cash withdrawals, subject to availability and technical issues.

However, services requiring a physical branch visit - such as certain documentation, locker access or branch-specific requests - will have to wait until the branch reopens.

How to Check If Your Bank Branch Is Open

Before heading to your branch this October:

• Check the RBI holiday schedule for your banking centre.
• Check your bank’s official branch holiday calendar.
• Call the branch if your transaction is urgent.
• Complete cheque, KYC, documentation and locker-related work ahead of major festive closures.
• Use UPI or net banking where a physical visit is not required.

The RBI calendar is particularly important because the list of Bank Holidays in October will differ by state and banking centre, rather than following one identical list nationwide.

The Bottom Line

October 2026 has plenty of bank closures, but the important thing to remember is that the holiday calendar is not identical across India.

The Gandhi Jayanti bank holiday on October 2 is nationwide, while Dussehra, Durga Puja and other regional closures depend on the applicable banking centre. The second and fourth Saturdays and all Sundays are also regular closures.

So, before you make that bank trip, spend two minutes checking your branch’s holiday schedule. It could save you a frustrating journey- and perhaps a little festive-season stress too.