North Central Railway introduces weekly festival special train between New Delhi and Howrah
North Central Railway has announced the operation of a weekly festival special train between New Delhi and Howrah to manage passenger demand during the upcoming festive season, including Durga Puja, Diwali, and Chhath. According to Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer of North Central Railway, the train will operate from October 2 to November 29, 2026, covering a distance of approximately 1,541 kilometers across nine trips in each direction. Passengers planning their festive travel can look forward to seamless connectivity on this high-demand route.
Train Schedule and Timings
The service is designated as train number 04052 and 04051. Train 04052 is scheduled to depart from New Delhi every Friday from October 2 to November 27, 2026, at 6:15 PM and arrive in Howrah at 11:40 PM the following day. The return leg, train 04051, will depart from Howrah every Sunday from October 4 to November 29, 2026, at 1:40 AM and arrive at New Delhi at 8:20 AM on Tuesday.
Route and Coach Composition
The festival special will pass through key stations including Kanpur, Prayagraj, Buxar, Patna, and Asansol. Additional designated stops include Ghaziabad, Aligarh Junction, Tundla, Govindpuri, Subedarganj, Mirzapur, Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction, Bhabua Road, Sasaram, Dehri On Sone, Anugrah Narayan Road, Gaya, Koderma, Hazaribagh Road, Parasnath, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Junction Gomoh, Dhanbad, Durgapur, Barddhaman, Bandel, and Naihati Junction.
The train configuration will feature 16 coaches, consisting of two AC-2 Tier, eight sleeper class, four general coaches, and two SLR/D coaches. Booking dates for the service are yet to be announced, and passengers are advised to monitor official railway communications for updates regarding ticket reservations and scheduling.