Indian Railways: New Pass Rules & Pune-Danapur Special Train!
Indian Railways introduces new travel rules for pass holders and launches the Pune-Danapur-Hadapsar Special train for the festive season.
The Railway Board has announced two major updates that will significantly impact both railway employees and festive travelers. In a major policy shift, new travel privileges have been introduced for pass holders, alongside the launch of a new special train service to manage the upcoming festive rush.
Major Policy Shift for Railway Pass Holders
In a move aimed at enhancing comfort for staff and their families, the Railway Board has introduced a significant policy change. Railway pass holders, which includes employees, pensioners, and their families, are now permitted to travel in higher-class coaches on premium train services.
Under this new provision, pass holders can now book seats on elite services such as:
- Rajdhani Express
- Duronto Express
- Shatabdi Express
To avail of this facility, passengers are required to pay the difference in fare between their entitled class and the higher-class coach they wish to occupy.
New Pune-Danapur-Hadapsar Special Train Announced
To accommodate the surge in passenger traffic during the upcoming festive season, Indian Railways has introduced the Pune-Danapur-Hadapsar Special train (01441/01442). This service is designed to provide vital connectivity between Maharashtra and Bihar.
Service Schedule and Timings
Operated by the West Central Railway, the special service will run for nine trips during the festive period in 2026. The schedule is as follows:
- Pune to Danapur (01441): Operating from November 1 to November 13, 2026. The train departs Pune on Sundays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:40 PM, arriving in Danapur at 7:00 AM on the third day of the journey.
- Danapur to Hadapsar (01442): Operating from November 3 to November 15, 2026. The train departs Danapur at 8:30 AM and reaches Hadapsar at 5:35 PM the following day.
Coach Composition and Route Details
The special train will feature an 18-coach composition, consisting of:
- 6 Sleeper class coaches
- 10 General class coaches
- 2 SLR/D coaches
The train will stop at several key stations, including Itarsi, Pipariya, Narsinghpur, Madan Mahal, Katni, Maihar, Satna, Daund Chord Line, Ahmednagar Jn, Kopargaon, Manmad, Jalgaon, Bhusawal, Manikpur, Prayagraj Chheoki, Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Jn, Buxar, and Ara.
Passengers are advised to verify all timings and operational details via the official railway website, the NTES app, or by dialing the 139 helpline before their journey.