Diwali & Chhath Rush: Indian Railways Unveils Special Trains
Indian Railways announces hundreds of special trains for Diwali and Chhath Puja 2026 to manage heavy passenger rush from Delhi to Bihar and UP.
To tackle the massive surge in passenger traffic during the upcoming Diwali and Chhath Puja 2026 festivals, Indian Railways has announced a significant boost in its operational capacity. The railway administration is launching five pairs of festival special trains along with two unreserved special services to ensure smoother travel for millions of commuters.
Massive Boost in Train Frequency
Northern Railway is taking a proactive approach this year, planning over 6,200 special trips to manage the festive rush. This represents a substantial 30% increase compared to the 4,666 trips operated during the same period last year. Out of these, approximately 3,600 trips have already been formally announced.
Connecting Delhi NCR to the East
The special services are specifically designed to alleviate congestion in the Delhi NCR region, providing direct links to major destinations in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal. Key departure points include Delhi, Anand Vihar Terminal, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Ghaziabad, and Ludhiana.
Passengers can find connections to several major cities, including:
- Saharsa and Darbhanga
- Gaya and Muzaffarpur
- Kolkata and Bhagalpur
- Jhansi and Aligarh
- Ayodhya Cantt, Varanasi, and Prayagraj
- Patna
Key Special Trains and Terminal Updates
Among the highlighted services are the Hazrat Nizamuddin-Veerangana Laxmibai Jhansi special express and the Ghaziabad-Aligarh EMU special train. To handle the heavy eastbound traffic, Anand Vihar Terminal has already commenced operations for 15 dedicated special trains.
Furthermore, the North Central Railway has independently announced 1,053 'Trains on Demand' (TOD) trips as of September 19, 2026, to meet specific passenger requirements.
Enhanced Security and Passenger Facilities
To ensure a safe and organized journey, Dr. Shivam Sharma, Chief Public Relations Officer for North Central Railway, confirmed that extra measures are being implemented. These include:
- Deployment of additional Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel.
- Increased commercial staff at major railway hubs.
- Enhanced crowd control and cleanliness monitoring.
- Installation of additional ticket counters to reduce waiting times.
Important Schedule Changes and Booking Details
Travelers should be aware of revised timings for several regular services departing from Delhi and Anand Vihar on October 28 and October 29, 2026. Affected trains include:
- Tejas Rajdhani
- Sampoorna Kranti
- Lucknow Mail
- Vaishali Express
- Vikramshila Express
- Prayagraj Express
Note on Fares: These special services utilize the 'Train on Special Fare' (TOSF) tariff structure, which includes surcharges ranging from 10% to 30%.
Tickets for Diwali travel were released between September 7 and September 9, 2026, while Chhath Puja bookings were made available between September 13 and September 16, 2026, through the IRCTC portal and PRS counters under the 60-day Advance Reservation Period.