Indian Railways has announced a massive plan to operate 1,484 summer special train services between April and July 2026. This initiative aims to address the heavy rush and waiting list problems faced by passengers during the peak summer season. The schedule includes 749 reserved and 735 unreserved services covering major routes across Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
Major routes and train schedules for passengers
Railway authorities have identified several high-demand routes to provide relief to travelers. Special trains will connect major cities and states to ensure smoother travel during the vacation period. The Central Railway and East Central Railway have already started opening bookings for these services through computerized centers and the IRCTC website.
| Route | Start Date | Benefit States |
|---|---|---|
| Meerut City – Santragachi | 14 April 2026 | UP, WB, Jharkhand |
| Mumbai (LTT) – Howrah | 14 April 2026 | Maharashtra, WB |
| Patna – Puri | Extended till 17 May | Bihar, Odisha |
| Gondia – Raxaul | 25 April 2026 | Maharashtra, Bihar |
| Lalkuan – Kolkata | 2 April 2026 | Uttarakhand, WB |
| Visakhapatnam – Shalimar | Weekly Schedule | AP, WB |
New rules and technology for crowd management
Indian Railways is using AI-based tools to monitor ticket searches and waiting list trends in real-time to predict demand. To manage overcrowding, a new rule implemented in 2025 limits waiting list tickets to 25 percent of the available seats in each class. Additionally, officials from North Western Railway and North Eastern Railway confirmed that extra coaches are being added to existing long-distance trains to increase capacity.
- Booking Info: Tickets can be booked via IRCTC and PRS counters.
- Waiting List Rule: Passengers with waiting list tickets are not allowed in reserved coaches.
- Fine: A penalty of 440 rupees applies to unauthorized travel in reserved compartments.
- Monitoring: Real-time AI tracking for better seat allocation.