Diwali & Chhath Puja 2026: Massive Special Train Schedule Announced
Indian Railways announces thousands of special trains for Diwali and Chhath Puja 2026 to manage heavy festive rush. Check routes and schedules here.
Indian Railways has unveiled an extensive plan to manage the heavy passenger surge during the upcoming Diwali and Chhath Puja festivities in November 2026. With Diwali falling on November 8 and the main Chhath Puja celebrations occurring on November 15, authorities are deploying thousands of Diwali Chhath Puja special trains to ensure commuters can travel easily during the holiday season.
Northern Railway to Run Over 6,200 Special Trips
Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railway, confirmed that the division is planning more than 6,200 special train trips for this festive period. This represents a significant 30% increase in services compared to the previous year.
Basant Kumar, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager for the Ferozepur Division, noted that Northern Railway will operate several reserved special trains connecting key destinations. The confirmed routes include:
- New Delhi to Gorakhpur: Train No. 04022 (operating Nov 6 and 13) and its return service, Train No. 04021 (operating Nov 7 and 14).
- Anand Vihar to Chhapra: Train No. 04058/04057, running every Tuesday and Friday from November 3 to 17.
- Ludhiana Special Services:
- Train No. 04656 to Saharsa (Nov 6, 9, 11)
- Train No. 04662 to Darbhanga (Nov 7, 10, 11)
- Train No. 04664 to Gaya (Nov 12)
- Train No. 04666 to Kolkata (Nov 6)
South Central and Southern Railway Service Extensions
South Central Railway (SCR) is also expanding its network to accommodate holiday travelers with several additional trips:
- Secunderabad to Sirpur Kaghaznagar (07711/07712): Five extra trips scheduled between November 6 and 10.
- Secunderabad to Naharlagun (07046/07047): Four additional trips from November 6 to 30.
- Charlapalli to Santragachi (07221/07222): Four extra trips between November 7 and 29.
In the southern region, Southern Railway has introduced festive specials between Chennai and Podanur (Train No. 06023/06024) and between Tambaram and Nagercoil (Train No. 06153/06154) for early November.
New Vande Bharat Sleeper Launching Soon
Adding to the festive travel options, a new Vande Bharat sleeper train (27422/27421) is set to launch between Delhi and Varanasi on October 31, providing a premium experience for passengers heading home for the holidays.
Important Booking Rules and Surcharges
Passengers planning their festive journeys should be aware of the following guidelines:
- Advance Booking: General ticket bookings follow the standard 60-day Advance Reservation Period.
- No Concessions: It is important to note that these festival special trains do not permit any passenger concessions.
- Surcharges: These special services typically carry an additional surcharge of approximately 10% for second class and 30% for sleeper and AC classes.
Travelers are strongly advised to verify all timings and seat availability via the NTES app or by calling the official helpline at 139.