Indian Railways announces special trains for Raksha Bandhan
Indian Railways is operating special train services to clear festival rushes and prevent passenger inconvenience during the upcoming Raksha Bandhan celebrations. Officials from West Central Railway and North Central Railway have confirmed multiple new routes connecting Bhopal, Rewa, Rani Kamalapati, Jabalpur, Prayagraj, and Delhi. Passengers planning their festival travel can benefit from these special services and capacity upgrades to ensure a smooth journey.
* Train 02157 runs from Rani Kamalapati on August 30, 2026, arriving at Hazrat Nizamuddin the next day.
* Train 02154 and 02180/02179 operate special trips on the Bhopal-Rewa route.
* The Bhopal-Rewa Vande Bharat Express is upgraded to 16 coaches until October 24, 2026.
* Train 04165/04166 connects Prayagraj and Shakurbasti via Kanpur and Aligarh.
Details of Delhi and Rewa Special Services
To accommodate the heavy rush towards the national capital, Train No. 02157 is scheduled to depart from Rani Kamalapati on August 30, 2026, at 9:20 PM, arriving at Hazrat Nizamuddin at 10:30 AM the following day. Its return service, Train No. 02158, departs from Hazrat Nizamuddin on August 31, 2026, at 12:10 PM. This 22-coach train will stop at Vidisha, Bina, Veerangana Laxmibai Jhansi, Gwalior, and Mathura Junction.
On the Bhopal-Rewa route, multiple special services are operational. Train No. 02154 operates as a one-way service on August 29, Train No. 02180 runs on August 30, and Train No. 02179 is scheduled for August 31. These trains will serve stops including Vidisha, Bina, Sagar, Damoh, Katni Murwara, Maihar, and Satna. Additionally, the popular Bhopal-Rewa Vande Bharat Express has been upgraded from 8 to 16 coaches, effective until October 24, 2026, to meet high passenger demand.
Prayagraj and Jabalpur Festival Specials
Furthermore, Train No. 04165 from Prayagraj to Shakurbasti is set to depart on August 29, 2026, at 8:00 PM, with the return Train No. 04166 departing Shakurbasti on August 30 at 12:00 PM. This 19-coach service stops at Fatehpur, Kanpur, Etawah, Tundla, Aligarh, and Old Delhi. Other services include a Jabalpur-Hazrat Nizamuddin special on August 29 and 30, and a temporary extension of the Jhansi-Agra Cantt Express (11901/11902) to Mathura.
Railways has deployed dedicated 'Meri Saheli' teams at major stations to assist women travellers and advises all passengers to check live train status via the NTES app or the 139 helpline before heading to the station.