8,454 Special Trains Announced for Diwali and Chhath Puja 2026
To manage the massive influx of passengers during the upcoming festive season, Indian Railways has announced a significant scale-up in operations by notifying 8,454 special train trips for Diwali and Chhath Puja 2026. These additional services are intended to support the 3.4 lakh regular train trips scheduled to run between October 1 and November 30, 2026.
Regional Breakdown of Special Services
The festive rush is expected to be most intense in the eastern and northern regions. The distribution of the notified special trips highlights the high demand in these areas:
- Bihar: 2,057 special trips
- Uttar Pradesh: 1,056 special trips
- Delhi: 975 special trips
New Delhi-Patna Vande Bharat Festival Special
A major highlight of the announcement is the introduction of a tri-weekly Vande Bharat Express festival special connecting New Delhi and Patna Junction. This premium service will operate from October 21 to November 26, 2026, with additional trips scheduled between October 16 and October 19.
Route and Timing Details
The Vande Bharat special will feature 16 chair-car coaches and will stop at several key stations, including Ara, Buxar, Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Jn., Prayagraj, Kanpur Central, and Aligarh.
- New Delhi to Patna: The train departs New Delhi at 8:35 AM on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, reaching Patna at 9:30 PM.
- Patna to New Delhi: The return service departs Patna at 10:00 AM on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, arriving in New Delhi at 11:30 PM.
Extensive Network of Festival Special Trains
In addition to the Vande Bharat service, Northern Railway has introduced over 100 festival specials to ensure widespread connectivity. Notable routes include:
- Delhi Jn.–Howrah Jn. Festival Special Express (04092/04091)
- Varanasi-Delhi Festival Special Express (04209/04210): Operating through November 28.
- Ayodhya Cantt-Anand Vihar Service (04213/04214)
- Khatipura to Kolkata Special: A 22-coach service designed to cater to passengers traveling from Rajasthan to Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
Long-distance connectivity is further bolstered by several other important services:
- Chandigarh-Patna (04512/04511)
- Firozpur Cantt-Patna (04616/04615)
- Amritsar-Jaynagar (04652/04651)
Booking Information
Railway officials have noted that these special services are announced periodically as they receive approval, providing an opportunity for travelers who may have missed the standard 60-day advance reservation window. Booking for these special services is available immediately through the IRCTC portal and at railway reservation counters.