Indian Railways to Run 150 Special Trains for Festive Rush

Indian Railways will operate 150 special trains on key routes from September 21 to November 30, covering over 2,000 trips to ease travel during Durga Puja, Diwali, and Chhath Puja. From Delhi to Patna, Mumbai to Chennai, and Hyderabad to Gaya, the initiative aims to make journeys smoother for travellers heading home or planning holidays. The trains will run on high-demand routes such as Delhi–Patna, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, and Darbhanga to manage the festive rush.

Zone-wise breakdown of special train services

1. South Central Railway (SCR)
   • 48 trains, 684 trips
   • Major hubs: Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Vijayawada
   • Highest number of services among all zones
2. East Central Railway (ECR)
   • 14 trains, 588 trips
   • Key destinations: Patna, Gaya, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur
   • Focused on managing heavy rush to Bihar
3. Western Railway
   • 24 trains, 204 trips
   • Major cities: Mumbai, Surat, Vadodara
4. Southern Railway
   • 10 trains, 66 trips
   • Routes from: Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai
5. Eastern Railway
   • 24 trains, 198 trips
   • Stations include: Kolkata, Sealdah, Howrah
6. East Coast Railway
   • Routes via: Bhubaneswar, Puri, Sambalpur
7. South Eastern Railway
   • Routes via: Ranchi, Tatanagar
8. North Central Railway
   • Routes via: Prayagraj, Kanpur
9. Southeast Central Railway
   • Routes via: Bilaspur, Raipur
10. West Central Railway
    • Key stations: Bhopal, Kota

An Indian Railways spokesperson said the calendar of special trains is being notified in a staggered fashion, based on demand and supply across key states. While 2,024 trips have been confirmed so far, more services may be added as the festive season progresses.

“We are updating the calendar regularly after evaluating the demand and supply of train services in key states,” the spokesperson stated.

Passengers can access the detailed calendar, including timings, routes, and stopping points, on the IRCTC website or at railway stations. To avoid last-minute hassles, travellers are advised to book tickets well in advance to secure confirmed reservations.