Indian Railways festival special train services

Indian railway divisions have implemented various special train services to manage seasonal passenger demand and festive travel throughout late 2026.

In early September, Western Railway extended several weekly services through November, including routes serving Bihar and Rajasthan. Central Railway also introduced Ganpati Special trains between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Kolhapur to assist commuters during the festival period. Additionally, the Kota Division extended several superfast and special services through mid-September to alleviate pressure from seasonal traffic.

By late September, authorities expanded these efforts to address upcoming Pooja, Diwali, and Chhath festivals. Central Railway announced superfast special services on the Nagpur–Pune and Nagpur–Mumbai routes to operate through October and November. Further Puja Special trains were scheduled to connect Odisha and West Bengal, including services between Puri and Santragachi, and Shalimar and Khurda Road.

On September 24, Indian Railways announced a total of 102 special train trips to manage the anticipated passenger surge during Dussehra, Diwali, and Chhath Puja. These services include Solapur Division routes connecting Mumbai to Latur, Kolhapur, and Kalaburagi, as well as weekly specials between Mumbai (CSMT) and Chennai Beach. Central Railway is also deploying one-way services between Mumbai and Nagpur, and Mumbai and Amravati. In the north, Southern Railway scheduled a service between Kanpur Central and SMVT Bengaluru, with additional services connecting cities across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Chandigarh, and Maharashtra. Booking for these services commenced on September 27, 2026.