8,000+ Diwali Chhath Puja Special Trains Announced
Indian Railways announces over 8,000 Diwali Chhath Puja special trains to handle the massive festive rush to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
To manage the massive surge in passenger traffic during the upcoming festive season, Indian Railways has announced the operation of over 8,000 Diwali Chhath Puja special trains. These additional services are specifically designed to accommodate the heavy rush of travelers heading to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for the celebrations.
Northern Railway to Run 6,200+ Special Services
Northern Railway is leading the festive preparations by planning to operate more than 6,200 special train trips. To assist passengers with long-distance travel, several reserved services have been scheduled for November 2026, including:
- New Delhi–Gorakhpur (04022/04021)
- Anand Vihar Terminal–Chhapra (04058/04057)
In addition to these reserved services, Northern Railway has introduced unreserved special trains on key routes, such as Hazrat Nizamuddin to Jhansi and Ghaziabad to Aligarh, to provide more flexibility for commuters.
Western Railway’s Massive Deployment and Platform Ticket Ban
Western Railway is also ramping up its capacity with approximately 2,000 special trips scheduled throughout October and November 2026. A significant focus is being placed on high-demand routes from Surat and Udhna stations, which will account for about 250 of these specialized services.
As part of a strict crowd management strategy, Western Railway has announced a suspension of platform ticket sales at six major stations from November 1 to November 15, 2026. The affected stations are:
- Bandra
- Vapi
- Valsad
- Udhna
- Surat
- Mehsana
Eastern and Central Railway Festive Updates
Eastern Railway has bolstered connectivity by launching fully unreserved special trains from Sealdah and Kolkata, targeting various destinations across Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, Central Railway is enhancing services for the Nagpur–Mumbai and Nagpur–Pune corridors, with ticket bookings for these special trains set to open on November 4, 2026.
Smart Monitoring and Booking Information
To ensure safety and prevent overcrowding, railway authorities are employing real-time passenger monitoring. This technology allows officials to deploy 'unnotified' special trains at short notice to mitigate sudden surges in passenger numbers.
Passengers are encouraged to secure their travel by booking tickets through the official IRCTC website, mobile application, or at authorized reservation counters. Please be aware that certain services may be issued under 'Train on Special Fare' (TOSF) rules, which include applicable surcharges.