To handle the festive rush to Bihar, East Central Railway has announced 14 special trains that will together make 588 trips. These services will provide much-needed connectivity to key cities like Patna, Gaya, Darbhanga, and Muzaffarpur, which witness a surge in passenger movement during festivals.
As the festive season nears, Indian Railways has announced a massive rollout of 150 Puja Special Trains to ease holiday travel for millions of passengers. These trains will operate from September 21 to November 30, covering major routes across the country with a total of 2,024 trips planned.
South Central Zone leads the count
The South Central Railway (SCR) will operate the highest number of trains- 48 in total, completing 684 trips. This move is expected to provide significant relief to passengers from Hyderabad, Secunderabad, and Vijayawada, three of the busiest hubs in the southern region.
Special focus on Bihar routes
Recognising the heavy rush to Bihar during the festive season, the East Central Railway (ECR) will run 14 trains, making 588 trips. These trains will connect passengers to major cities such as Patna, Gaya, Darbhanga, and Muzaffarpur, where festive travel demand traditionally spikes.
How many trains from which zone?
- South Central Railway (SCR)- 48 trains (Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Vijayawada routes)
- East Central Railway (ECR)- 14 trains (Patna, Gaya, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur routes)
- Eastern Railway (ER)- 24 trains (Kolkata, Sealdah, Howrah routes)
- Western Railway (WR)- 24 trains (Mumbai, Surat, Vadodara routes)
- Southern Railway (SR)- 10 trains (Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai routes- 66 trips)
Additionally, special services will also run from Bhubaneswar, Puri, Sambalpur (East Coast Railway), Ranchi, Tatanagar (South Eastern Railway), Prayagraj, Kanpur (North Central Railway), and Bilaspur, Raipur, Bhopal, Kota and more.
Surat to Kolkata special trains
Travellers in Gujarat will also benefit, as the Western Railway is set to operate 24 festive trains to destinations including Surat. Similarly, the Eastern Railway will run 24 trains with 198 trips between Kolkata, Sealdah, and Howrah, connecting eastern India to key festive destinations.
More trains are expected soon
Indian Railways clarified that this is just the first phase of announcements. In past years, during festivals, the Railways have operated over 12,000 special trains to meet soaring demand. Officials indicated that more trains are likely to be announced in the coming weeks, especially on the East Central routes, where passenger rush is expected to peak.
From metros like Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata to festive hubs like Patna, Darbhanga, and Muzaffarpur, Indian Railways is gearing up to make festival travel smoother, ensuring that passengers can celebrate Diwali, Chhath Puja, and Durga Puja with their families.