Chhath Puja 2026: 650 Special Trains to Ease Bihar Travel Surge
Indian Railways deploys 650 special trains for Chhath Puja 2026 to manage the massive passenger surge to Bihar. Check routes and safety updates.
Indian Railways has announced a massive scale-up in operations to accommodate the heavy influx of passengers during the 2026 Chhath Puja festival. To manage the seasonal surge, authorities are deploying approximately 650 special trains, marking a significant increase from the 400 special trains operated last year.
With a total of 6,200 trains expected to run throughout the high-traffic period, the railway network is gearing up for one of its busiest festive seasons. The festival is scheduled from November 12 to November 15, with the primary Sandhya Arghya ritual taking place on November 14. Travelers should be prepared for a heavy return rush, as demand is projected to peak between November 16 and November 22.
Enhanced Connectivity for Devotees
The special services aim to provide seamless transit between major metropolitan hubs and key destinations in Bihar. Major connectivity links have been established from:
- Delhi: Including Anand Vihar, New Delhi, and Hazrat Nizamuddin.
- Mumbai: Including CSMT, LTT, and Bandra Terminus.
- Southern Cities: Direct links from Chennai and Coimbatore.
These trains will provide direct access to essential Bihar destinations such as Patna, Danapur, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, and Barauni. In a recent expansion, new one-way and extended links have been introduced connecting Tamil Nadu to Barauni, Raxaul, and Darbhanga, along with new routes between Mumbai and Nagpur.
Safety and Crowd Management at Major Stations
To prevent station congestion and ensure passenger safety, Northern Railway has implemented several strict measures. Neeraj Upadhyay, CPRO of Northern Railway, confirmed that authorities are regulating platform access to coincide specifically with train arrivals to avoid overcrowding.
Major security and comfort upgrades include:
- AI-Enabled Surveillance: The installation of 700 AI-enabled CCTV cameras at New Delhi railway station.
- Increased Security: A 60% increase in Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel to monitor crowds.
- Passenger Facilities: The establishment of temporary holding areas equipped with seating and real-time passenger information systems at major stations.
Important Booking Information for Travelers
Despite the massive deployment of extra trains, passenger demand remains exceptionally high. Many routes are currently seeing waiting lists that exceed 150 to 200 passengers.
Officials strongly urge travelers to avoid unauthorized agents and book tickets only through the official IRCTC website or authorized railway counters. Passengers are also advised to monitor real-time schedule updates via the National Train Enquiry System (NTES). Additional services may be introduced based on ongoing demand monitoring.