8,400+ Diwali Chhath Puja Special Trains Announced
Indian Railways has unveiled a massive schedule of 8,454 Diwali Chhath Puja special trains to accommodate the massive surge in passenger traffic during the upcoming festive season. These "Trains on Demand" (TODs) will operate between October 1 and November 30, 2026, supplementing the 3.4 lakh regular services already in motion.
Major Routes and Vande Bharat Services
To ensure seamless connectivity, the national carrier is prioritizing routes connecting major hubs in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Maharashtra. A highlight of the schedule is the Delhi-Patna Vande Bharat festival special, which will run regularly from October 21 through November 26, with additional trips scheduled for October 16 and 18.
Central Railway has also significantly bolstered its capacity by introducing 162 new special trains, bringing its festive total to 580. Among these are the weekly services between Hadapsar and Muzaffarpur (Trains 01481/01482 and 01453/01454), for which sleeper-class bookings opened on October 18, 2026.
Other notable services include:
- Varanasi-Delhi Festival Special: (04209/04210)
- Ayodhya Cantt-Anand Vihar: (04213/04214)
- LTT-Ayodhya Cantt: (01045/01046)
- Anand Vihar-Bhagalpur Special: (04062/04061), running daily through November 26.
Transit Hubs and Crowd Management
Prayagraj Junction will serve as a critical transit point, with scheduled halts for the Delhi-Howrah Special (04092/04091), the LTT-Ayodhya Cantt line, and the Vande Bharat special. Additionally, the Hadapsar-Muzaffarpur specials will stop at Prayagraj Chheoki.
In Bihar, authorities are preparing for the influx by setting up temporary passenger holding areas at 15 major stations, effective November 3, to facilitate better crowd management.
Fare Structure and Important Rules
Passengers should note that while standard Mail/Express fares apply, the 0-series special-fare trains include a surcharge. This surcharge is approximately 10% for second-class travel and 30% for Sleeper and AC classes. Furthermore, no concessions are permitted on these special services.
Dr. Shivam Sharma, Chief Public Relations Officer of North Central Railway, confirmed that the zone is actively monitoring waiting lists to manage capacity effectively.
The North Central Railway (NCR) zone is playing a massive role in this festive rollout, contributing over 1,000 special trips to the national network.