Pune Diwali Special Trains & MSRTC Buses to Ease Travel Rush
Facing the festive rush? Discover the new Pune Diwali special trains and MSRTC bus services launched to help you travel home easily.
With the festive season approaching, commuters are searching for Pune Diwali special trains to navigate the massive travel demand. As reservation levels for the Pune-Jammu Tawi Jhelum Express hit a staggering 198% and the Pune-Supaul Express reaches 131%, the pressure on regular services has become immense. To mitigate this strain, Indian Railways and the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) have launched an extensive range of special services.
Massive Expansion of Special Train Services
Indian Railways has announced the operation of approximately 1,000 special trains nationwide to cater to the Diwali and Chhath Puja rush. Central Railway is playing a pivotal role, contributing 418 services across Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur. Specifically, the Pune Railway Division is set to run seven special trains, providing a total of 216 trips throughout October and November.
Key Special Train Routes and Schedules
To ensure passengers can reach their destinations, several new and existing special services have been highlighted:
- Pune-Danapur Weekly Special (01441/01442): Starting November 1, this train will operate five days a week, traveling through Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar with 18 scheduled stops.
- Hadapsar-Gorakhpur Daily Special (01415/01416): This service will complete 64 trips between October 16 and November 16.
- Khadki-Hazrat Nizamuddin Superfast Special (01483/01484)
- Khadki-Sanganer Superfast Special (01411/01412)
- Pune-Muzaffarpur Specials: Available via services 01481/01482 and 01453/01454.
- Pune-New Amravati Weekly Special (01403/01404)
For those traveling without advanced bookings, some of these services will feature unreserved second-class, SLR, and SLRD coaches. These can be accessed via the UTS system, mobile applications, or at traditional ticket counters.
CPPRO Dr. Shivam Sharma stated that these special trains are intended to reduce the pressure on regular services.
MSRTC Deploys 1,200 Additional Buses
Complementing the railway efforts, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) is deploying 1,200 additional buses to handle the surge. Pune Divisional Controller Arun Siya confirmed that over 600 special buses will operate specifically between November 4 and November 7.
These buses are strategically planned to connect Pune to several key regions, including:
- Marathwada
- Vidarbha
- Khandesh
- Western Maharashtra
- Konkan
A comprehensive management plan is currently in effect to ensure that the passenger surge during this festival period is managed smoothly across both rail and road networks.