Indian Railways Festive Special Trains 2026: 8,454 Extra Trips
Indian Railways has announced a massive rollout of festive special trains 2026 to manage the heavy passenger traffic expected during the upcoming Durga Puja, Diwali, and Chhath celebrations. Spanning from October 1 to November 30, the national transporter has implemented an extensive operation to ensure smooth travel for millions of passengers.
Massive Boost in Capacity and Trips
To accommodate the seasonal surge, the Railways has planned approximately 3.4 lakh regular train trips, which is an increase of over 16,000 trips compared to the previous year. As of October 13, 2026, officials have already notified 8,454 special train trips to meet the heightened demand.
Beyond just extra trips, the Railways is permanently augmenting its capacity. A total of 412 additional coaches have been added to existing services compared to last year, including 75 General Class coaches. Passengers should also note a change in the booking process: the booking window for these services has been reduced to 60 days from the previous 120-day limit.
Regional Allocation of Special Services
The special train services have been strategically distributed across key regions to address high-demand corridors. The breakdown of special trips includes:
- Bihar: 2,057 trips
- Uttar Pradesh: 1,056 trips
- Delhi: 975 trips
- Maharashtra: 836 trips
- West Bengal: 464 trips
Railway Zone Highlights
Different railway zones have introduced specific measures to handle the festive rush:
Eastern Railway and Northern Railway
The Eastern Railway has announced 1,354 special train trips and will increase night suburban services during the Durga Puja period. Specifically, 63 additional services will run between October 17 and October 21. Meanwhile, Northern Railway has introduced new festival special trains, temporary extensions, and extra trips starting October 17.
New Vande Bharat and Garib Rath Updates
Several high-profile train services are seeing significant upgrades or new launches:
- Delhi-Patna Vande Bharat Special (Train No. 02252): Launched on October 16, this 16-coach special will operate 18 trips in each direction.
- North Garib Rath Express (Train Nos. 12257/12258): The South Western Railway has added three AC 3-Tier Economy coaches to the Yesvantpur-Thiruvananthapuram service, with additions starting October 18 and 19.
- Other Key Services: Special operations for the Varanasi-Jammu Tawi (Train Nos. 04231/04232) and Delhi-Howrah (Train Nos. 04092/04091) were scheduled for mid-October to assist travelers.
Officials have indicated that further additional services may be introduced based on real-time passenger demand and operational requirements throughout the festive period.