Indian Railways operates seven special trains for Bihar during Diwali and Chhath Puja
Indian Railways is taking major steps to manage the massive festive rush by introducing dedicated special train services for passengers heading towards Bihar during Diwali and Chhath Puja. These special services are designed to improve confirmed ticket availability and ease travel woes during the busiest travel season of the year. Indian Railways has authorized seven dedicated special train services departing from Malda and Bhagalpur to accommodate the surge in passenger traffic. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed the operation of over 12,000 special trains nationwide for the 2026 season targeting 20 to 30 million passengers. Indian Railways is attaching additional general coaches to 108 regular trains to alleviate overcrowding.
Dedicated Special Train Routes and Schedules
The deployment includes several key routes tailored for festival travellers. The Malda-Udhna special will run from October 17 to November 28 on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The Malda-Bengaluru service is scheduled from October 17 to November 28 on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The Malda-LTT route will operate from October 17 to November 28 on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Furthermore, the Malda-Anand Vihar special will run from October 16 to November 30 on Mondays and Fridays. In addition to these long-distance connections, the Malda-Bhagalpur special is scheduled for six trips between October 17 and November 22. A connecting Bhagalpur-New Delhi special will operate from November 3 to November 28 on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Most of these special services will feature a 22-coach composition including varied AC, Sleeper, and General class configurations.
Booking Guidelines for Passengers
Travellers planning their festive journeys can easily secure their seats through standard booking channels. Passengers can utilize the standard 60-day Advance Reservation Period for booking, ensuring ample time to plan. For last-minute travellers, Tatkal quotas open at 10:00 AM for AC classes and 11:00 AM for non-AC classes one day prior to departure. Passengers are advised to book early through official IRCTC channels to avoid last-minute rush and travel comfortably.