Delhi to Bihar: 21 Special Trains for Chhath Puja Rush
Indian Railways announces 21 special trains from Delhi to Bihar, including Vande Bharat services, to manage the Chhath Puja passenger rush.
To accommodate the massive surge in passenger demand during the upcoming Chhath Puja festival, Indian Railways has announced the operation of 21 additional special trains. These services are scheduled to depart from Delhi and surrounding stations on November 10, 2026, specifically designed to facilitate travel to key destinations in Bihar, including Patna, Darbhanga, and Muzaffarpur.
Unreserved Special Train to Darbhanga
One of the key services introduced is the unreserved special train, number 04474. This train is scheduled to depart from New Delhi at 12:05 PM, bound for Darbhanga. The service will consist of 10 unreserved coaches and will provide connectivity through several major stations, including:
- Ghaziabad
- Aligarh
- Tundla
- Kanpur
- Aishbagh
- Badshahnagar
- Gonda
- Gorakhpur
- Deoria Sadar
- Siwan
- Chhapra
- Sonpur
- Hajipur
- Muzaffarpur
- Karpurigram
- Samastipur
Vande Bharat Festival Specials
For passengers seeking a more premium travel experience, two pairs of Vande Bharat reserved festival special trains have been scheduled. These services, numbered 02258/02257 and 02436/02435, will operate between New Delhi and Patna from November 11 to November 14, 2026.
Managing the Festive Passenger Surge
Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Northern Railway, stated that the heavy demand on regular and existing services necessitated these additional operations. To ensure readiness, railway authorities are currently maintaining spare rakes to launch further unreserved special trains at short notice, depending on real-time crowd levels.
Important Travel Dates and Information
With Chhath Puja being observed from November 12 to November 15, 2026, passenger traffic is expected to peak between November 9 and November 11. Travelers are advised to stay updated on their journeys by using the following resources:
- Verify schedules, stoppages, and seat availability on the IRCTC website.
- Use the National Train Enquiry System (NTES) app for real-time updates.
- Contact the railway helpline by dialing 139.