Indian Railways operates Pitrapaksha special trains between Madhya Pradesh and Bihar
Indian Railways is running special train services between Madhya Pradesh and Bihar to help pilgrims traveling to Gaya for ancestral rituals during the upcoming Pitrapaksha period. Operated by West Central Railway and East Central Railway, these special services connect Rani Kamalapati Bhopal and Jabalpur with Gaya to manage the massive passenger rush. Key highlights of the special train services include:
- Rani Kamalapati to Gaya special train 01661 operates on September 27, October 2, and October 7, 2026.
- Gaya to Rani Kamalapati return special train 01662 runs on September 30, October 5, and October 10, 2026.
- Jabalpur to Gaya special train 01701 departs on September 21, October 4, and October 9, 2026.
- Gaya to Jabalpur return special train 01702 operates on September 28, October 3, and October 8, 2026.
- Standard coach composition includes AC-2, AC-3, sleeper, and general coaches to accommodate heavy pilgrim traffic.
Schedule And Timings For Rani Kamalapati Gaya Special
The Rani Kamalapati-Gaya special (01661) will depart from Rani Kamalapati at 3:20 PM on September 27, October 2, and October 7, 2026, reaching Gaya at 2:30 PM the following day. The return service from Gaya (01662) is scheduled to depart at 3:30 PM on September 30, October 5, and October 10, 2026, arriving back at Rani Kamalapati at 4:15 PM the next day.
This train will make scheduled stops at Narmadapuram (16:34/16:36) and Itarsi (17:05/17:25). It also features additional halts at Pipariya, Narsinghpur, Jabalpur, Katni, Satna, Prayagraj Chheoki, Mirzapur, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction, Bhabua Road, Sasaram, Dehri-on-Sone, and Anugraha Narayan Road.
Jabalpur Gaya Special Train Timings
In addition to the Bhopal route, a Jabalpur-Gaya special train will operate under the numbers 01701 and 01702. The 01701 service will depart Jabalpur at 9:25 PM on September 21, October 4, and October 9, 2026, arriving in Gaya at 2:30 PM the next day. The return 01702 service departs Gaya at 6:55 PM on September 28, October 3, and October 8, arriving in Jabalpur at 8:10 AM the following morning.
Coach Composition And Capacity
According to East Central Railway ECR Chief Public Relations Officer Saraswati Chandra, both special services are configured with a similar coach composition. They feature two AC-2 coaches, two AC-3 coaches, four sleeper class coaches, and four general coaches, with some configurations totaling 24 coaches including SLR/D and additional sleeper or AC tiers to effectively manage passenger volume during the peak pilgrimage season.