Diwali & Chhath 2026: 8,454 Special Trains Announced
Indian Railways announces 8,454 special trains for Diwali and Chhath 2026 to manage festive crowds across Delhi, UP, Bihar, and Maharashtra.
Indian Railways has announced a massive expansion of its festive travel capacity, introducing 8,454 Diwali Chhath special trains to accommodate passengers during the Durga Puja, Diwali, and Chhath season. These services, scheduled to run between October 1 and November 30, 2026, are designed to ensure smoother travel for millions of passengers moving between key regions, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
Boosting Connectivity for Festive Travelers
To address the massive surge in passenger demand during the upcoming holidays, various railway zones have been tasked with increasing seat availability. The primary objective is to reduce the heavy waiting lists that typically plague the festive season, making it easier for families to travel home for celebrations.
Key Routes and New Special Services
Specific railway zones have already outlined their contributions to this massive festive operation:
- North Central Railway (NCR): Dr. Shivam Sharma, CPRO of NCR, confirmed the addition of three specific pairs of Puja Special trains. These include services between Anand Vihar Terminal and Chhapra, Mau and Anand Vihar, and the Gorakhpur to Bandra Terminus corridor to ease congestion between Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.
- South Eastern Railway (SER): Eight 'Puja Special' trips have been scheduled to assist travelers from West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha. Notable services include the Shalimar-Darbhanga Special (08109), running from November 3 to November 17, 2026, and the Rourkela-Jhanjharpur Special (08105), operating from November 5 to November 19, 2026.
- Central Railway: Operations have been significantly bolstered with 418 additional services departing from Pune and Mumbai.
Securing Confirmed Berths for 2026
South Central Railway (SCR) has explicitly advised passengers that these festive special trains currently offer a higher probability of securing confirmed berths compared to standard services.
In addition to these scheduled runs, Indian Railways is operating over 1,000 'Trains on Demand' (TODs) across the national network to meet high-volume holiday travel requirements. With the peak demand for Diwali celebrations expected around November 8, 2026, travelers are encouraged to take the following steps:
- Check real-time seat availability via the IRCTC website or the National Train Enquiry System (NTES).
- Use the RailMadad helpline by calling 139 for any queries or assistance.
- Book through official channels as early as possible to avoid the heavy rush.