NER Announces 4 Festival Special Trains via Gonda
North Eastern Railway announces 4 special train pairs via Gonda for Diwali and Chhath Puja to manage festive rush. Check schedules and routes here.
To tackle the massive surge in passenger movement during the upcoming Diwali and Chhath Puja festivities, the North Eastern Railway (NER) has announced the operation of four pairs of Festival Special Trains Gonda will serve as a key transit point. These special services are designed to ease the travel burden for passengers commuting between major regions, including Delhi, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar, with various services scheduled to run between November 5 and November 22, 2026.
Detailed Schedule and Routes of Special Trains
Sumit Kumar, the Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of the North Eastern Railway, confirmed that these additional services are being introduced specifically to ensure passenger convenience during the peak holiday season. The following services have been detailed:
- New Delhi–Gorakhpur Special (04022/04021): This service will depart from New Delhi on November 6 and November 13, and from Gorakhpur on November 7 and November 14. The train will provide halts at Ghaziabad, Moradabad, Bareilly, Lucknow, Gonda, and Basti.
- Ludhiana–Purnia Special (04660/04659): Aimed at connecting Punjab and Bihar, this train will operate from Ludhiana on November 5 and November 9, and from Purnia on November 6 and November 10, passing through Gonda.
- Rani Kamlapati–Gorakhpur Special (01663/01664): This service is scheduled to depart from Rani Kamlapati on November 7 and from Gorakhpur on November 9, including a scheduled stop at Gonda.
Boosting Capacity for the Festive Season
The introduction of these special trains is part of a much larger regional effort to manage the holiday rush. The Northern Railway is also working to increase its overall special train services by approximately 30 percent, which is expected to result in over 6,200 total trips to accommodate the high volume of travelers.
Passengers are strongly advised to verify the most recent timings, seat availability, and specific stoppage details through the official IRCTC website or authorized railway inquiry channels, as schedules may be subject to last-minute updates.