Northern Railway Launches Special Trains for Diwali & Chhath Puja
Northern Railway launches unreserved special trains for Diwali and Chhath Puja to manage festive crowds. Check schedules and routes.
To tackle the massive surge in passenger traffic during the upcoming festive season, Northern Railway has announced the introduction of unreserved special trains for Diwali and Chhath Puja. These services are designed to help commuters travel using general tickets, bypassing the intense rush for confirmed reservations.
Key Special Train Schedules
Among the specific services introduced to ease the travel burden, two pairs of unreserved festival special trains have been scheduled between Hazrat Nizamuddin and Virangana Lakshmibai Jhansi:
- Hazrat Nizamuddin - Virangana Lakshmibai Jhansi Special (04412): Scheduled to operate on November 5, 6, and 7, 2026.
- Virangana Lakshmibai Jhansi - Hazrat Nizamuddin Special (04411): Scheduled to operate on November 6, 7, and 8, 2026.
Massive Increase in Festive Special Trips
This initiative is part of a much larger effort by Indian Railways to manage the festive rush. The railway is planning to operate over 6,200 special train trips this year, marking a significant 30% increase compared to the 4,666 trips operated during the same period last year.
Additionally, North Central Railway has announced 1,053 'train on demand' trips across 13 railway zones, running from October 1 to November 30. Furthermore, 42 new trains regularized this year will contribute an additional 2,600 trips during the festive season.
Important Travel Windows
Railway officials have identified the following peak travel periods for the upcoming festivities:
- Diwali: November 6 to 10, 2026.
- Chhath Puja: November 16 to 22, 2026.
How to Check Schedules and Book Tickets
Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer of Northern Railway, advised passengers to use the official NTES app or dial the railway helpline at 139 to monitor train schedules, halts, and real-time updates.
For unreserved travel, passengers can conveniently book tickets via the UTS on Mobile app. This feature allows commuters within a 20km radius of a station to purchase tickets from the comfort of their homes.
Essential Railway Rules to Remember
- Tatkal Bookings: For AC classes, bookings start at 10:00 AM one day before departure. For non-AC sleeper classes, they start at 11:00 AM.
- Child Policy: Children under five years of age can travel for free if they share a seat or berth.
- Advance Booking: The standard booking window remains open 60 days before the date of travel.
- E-Ticket Cancellation: Any e-tickets remaining on the waiting list after the chart is prepared will be automatically cancelled.