TV
Indian Railways has rolled out an extensive plan to handle the surge in passenger traffic during the upcoming festive season, announcing a total of 1,126 special train services for Diwali and Chhath Puja.
The move, led by Central Railway, combines 944 services announced earlier with an additional 182 trains added this week to meet unprecedented demand on busy routes.
Central Railway’s Festive Train Operations
Central Railway will operate the bulk of the services, connecting Mumbai, Pune, and surrounding hubs with destinations across northern and eastern India. The additional trains will run between September and December, ensuring passengers travelling home for Diwali and Chhath Puja have more options.
Key routes include:
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Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) to Danapur (40 services)
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LTT to Mau (40 services)
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LTT to Banaras (40 services)
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LTT to Karimnagar (6 services)
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Pune to Amravati (16 services)
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Pune to Sanganer via Superfast and Bi-Weekly services (40 services)
Services will make multiple round-trip trips, with some operating twice a week until early December. For example, the LTT–Danapur Bi-Weekly Special will run from September 27 to December 3, while the Pune–Amravati Weekly Special will operate between October 7 and November 26.
Nationwide Expansion Of Festival Trains
The festive calendar is not limited to Central Railway. Indian Railways had earlier announced over 2,000 special trips across zones between September 21 and November 30 to cover Durga Puja, Diwali, and Chhath Puja.
These include 684 trips under Southern Railway from Hyderabad, Secunderabad, and Vijayawada, 588 trips under East Central Railway through Patna, Gaya, and Darbhanga, and nearly 200 services from Eastern Railway through Kolkata, Sealdah, and Howrah.
Southern Railway has also announced Madurai–Barauni Festival Special trains, offering direct connectivity between Tamil Nadu and Bihar for migrant workers and families. Other zones, such as Western, East Coast, South Eastern, and North Central Railways, have introduced similar festival schedules to address demand in states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, and Jharkhand.
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Ticket Bookings And Travel Arrangements
Bookings for key Central Railway trains, including the LTT–Danapur, LTT–Mau, LTT–Banaras, LTT–Karimnagar, Pune–Amravati, and Pune–Sanganer services, opened on September 14 via IRCTC and reservation counters. Unreserved tickets are available through the UTS system at normal Mail/Express rates.
Railway officials have urged passengers to plan their journeys early as waitlists for AC and Sleeper classes tend to climb rapidly during Diwali and Chhath. Passengers are advised to visit the railways and IRCTC websites for accurate and latest details on train schedules.
