Diwali Chhath Puja Special Trains: Indian Railways Extends Services
Indian Railways extends 16 special trains and adds extra coaches to Tejas Rajdhani to manage Diwali and Chhath Puja rush. Bookings open Nov 5.
To manage the massive surge in passenger traffic, Indian Railways has announced several Diwali Chhath Puja Special Trains and extended existing services to help commuters travel during the festive season. Authorities have confirmed the extension of 16 special trains, which will provide a total of 36 additional trips across various routes to accommodate the expected rush as of November 4, 2026.
Key Route Extensions for Festive Travelers
Several popular routes connecting major hubs to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh will see extended operations to ease the holiday travel burden. The following extensions have been confirmed:
- LTT to Samastipur (01043/01044): Train 01043 has been extended with an additional trip running until November 24, 2026, while train 01044 will operate until November 26, 2026.
- LTT to Varanasi (01051/01052): These services have been extended until November 26 and November 27, respectively.
- LTT to Mau (01123/01124): These trains will operate between November 22 and November 29.
- LTT to Danapur (01143/01144): This service will see eight additional trips, with operations extended until November 29 for train 01143 and November 30 for train 01144.
- Hadapsar to Ghazipur City (01431/01432): Two additional trips have been scheduled between November 24 and November 29.
New Services and Extra Coaches Added
Beyond the extensions, the Northern Railway is introducing new festival special services to connect Delhi and Anand Vihar Terminal to major destinations including Gaya, Patna, and Muzaffarpur.
In a move to tackle high waitlist figures, the East Coast Railway has also augmented the Bhubaneswar–New Delhi Tejas Rajdhani Express. Extra AC 3-Tier coaches will be added to this service on November 7, 8, 10, and 11 to provide more capacity for passengers traveling during the peak period.
Booking Details and Passenger Advice
Passengers interested in these extended special-charge services—including trains 01043, 01051, 01179, 01123, 01143, 01411, 01431, and 01463—can begin their bookings on November 5, 2026. Tickets can be reserved via the official IRCTC website or at any computerized reservation center.
Railway officials advise all passengers to verify their specific schedules, platform information, and live train status through the National Train Enquiry System (NTES). For immediate assistance or queries, travelers can contact the dedicated railway helpline by dialing 139.