Indian Railways operates special trains for massive passenger rush during Raksha Bandhan
Indian Railways is witnessing an unprecedented surge in passenger traffic as millions of travelers prepare to celebrate the upcoming Raksha Bandhan festival scheduled for August 28, 2026. The peak travel rush is heavily concentrated between August 26 and August 27, 2026, causing heavy booking pressure on routes connecting Delhi-Gurugram toward Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal. Major express services are currently showing full reservations and Regret status on waitlists across multiple classes. Key updates for travelers include heavy festive rushes on major routes, the introduction of dozens of special train services by regional railways, increased Namo Bharat train frequencies, strict security deployments, and free bus travel for women announced by the Uttar Pradesh government.
Fully Booked Express Services and Heavy Demand
Passengers traveling during this festive season are facing immense rush as popular express services have hit maximum capacity. Trains including the Lucknow Mail, Padmavat Express, Delhi-Ayodhya Express, Farakka Express, Mahakal Express, Dadar-Gorakhpur, Kushinagar, Raptisagar Express, Sitapur Express, Pushpak Express, Bhuj–Bareilly Express, Bhagat Ki Kothi–Kamakhya Express, Sabarmati–Sultanpur Express, and Bikaner–Howrah Express are currently fully booked across multiple travel classes.
Special Trains and Regional Arrangements
To manage this high festive demand, Indian Railways has stepped up operations by introducing dedicated special train services. The West Central Railway (WCR) has announced 47 special services across five corridors, including Rewa-Bhopal, Jabalpur-Delhi, Kota-Nizamuddin, Sogariya-Mathura, and Sogariya-Jabalpur, running from August 22 through August 31.
Similarly, Northern Railway is operating additional services from New Delhi and Anand Vihar. Key additions include the Jabalpur–Hazrat Nizamuddin Special (01701/01702) and Kota–Hazrat Nizamuddin Special (09803/09804), along with routes connecting Subedarganj, Shakur Basti, New Delhi, Kanpur Central, Anand Vihar Terminal, Ghaziabad, and Aligarh. Madhur Verma, Chief Public Relations Officer for WCR, confirmed that these comprehensive measures are intended to accommodate the significant festive load.
Tatkal Bookings and Commuter Transit Support
With regular reservations packed, passengers are heavily relying on Tatkal ticket bookings, which open 24 hours prior to departure at 10:00 AM for AC classes and 11:00 AM for non-AC classes. Officials noted that these tickets are limited in number, non-refundable, and permit no concessions.
In addition to mainline trains, the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) will operate 47 additional Namo Bharat train trips on the Delhi-Meerut corridor on August 27 and 28, with frequencies increased to every eight minutes to ease regional transit.
Passenger Safety and Road Transport Support
To ensure smooth journeys and passenger safety, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) have deployed special escorts on long-distance trains. Complementing these rail efforts, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced free bus travel for women across the state, including for one accompanying person, starting from 6:00 AM on August 27 until midnight on August 29.