As the sacred month of Sawan approaches, Indian Railways has unveiled a series of comprehensive measures to ensure a seamless travel experience for millions of pilgrims. With the auspicious period scheduled from July 30 to August 28, 2026, the national transporter is bracing for a massive surge in footfall, particularly at Varanasi Junction, which expects an average daily arrival of 1.5 lakh passengers. To manage this, authorities are implementing robust crowd control and heightened security protocols across major transit hubs.
Key highlights of the Sawan 2026 arrangements include:
- Expansion of train capacities with additional AC and Sleeper coaches.
- Introduction of new temporary halts for major express and MEMU services.
- Exclusive vegetarian catering services across the railway network.
- Deployment of special Bharat Gaurav Tourist Trains for pilgrimage circuits.
- Launch of dedicated Shravan Mela Special trains to Baba Baidyanath Dham.
Enhanced Train Capacity and New Connectivity
To accommodate the high volume of devotees, Indian Railways has augmented several key trains. The Mahakal Express (20413/20414 and 20415/20416) has been upgraded to a 22-coach configuration with the addition of one AC First and one AC Second class coach. Similarly, the Lucknow-Varanasi Shuttle Express (20401/20402) now features an additional AC Third and Sleeper coach.
Connectivity has been improved with new strategic halts. The Patna Kota Express (13239/13940) will now stop at Jaunpur City, while the Lucknow-Varanasi Shuttle Express (20401/20402) will serve Shivpur and Harkhu Sarai. Furthermore, the Shivpur-Utretia MEMU Express (64281/64282) will include a new stop at Harpalganj. To honor the religious sentiments of passengers during this holy month, Indian Railways has mandated that only strictly vegetarian meals will be served on board.
Bharat Gaurav Special Tours and Mela Specials
IRCTC is launching two special Bharat Gaurav Tourist Trains from Gorakhpur. The first, an 11-night/12-day journey departing July 31, covers major spiritual sites including Tirupati Balaji, Rameswaram, and Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga. The second, a 9-night/10-day tour starting August 17, focuses on Jyotirlingas and the Statue of Unity. These all-inclusive packages cover meals, stays, and local transfers. Additionally, to facilitate travel to Baba Baidyanath Dham, the railways will run special services between Howrah and Natesar and Jamalpur to Deoghar-Godda.