Indian Railways: Every day, lakhs of people travel by train across India. But during festivals like Diwali, Chhath Puja, and Durga Puja, the number of passengers increases many times.
At such times, it becomes very difficult to get tickets—especially from states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Bengal, and South India to metro cities like Delhi and Mumbai.
Getting confirmed tickets through both general and Tatkal bookings becomes nearly impossible.
To manage the festive rush, Indian Railways makes special arrangements every year. This year too, the Railway Ministry has announced a major plan to help passengers.
The Railway Minister has confirmed that more than 12,000 Puja special trains will run between 21 September and 30 November. In the first phase, about 150 special trains will be introduced.
Let’s look at the routes and services planned:
Zone-Wise Special Train Plan
South Central Railway will run the highest number of special trains during the festival season.
East Central Railway will operate 14 special trains on Bihar routes, covering key cities such as Patna, Gaya, Darbhanga, and Muzaffarpur. These trains will make a total of 588 trips.
Eastern Railway has scheduled 24 special trains on Kolkata, Sealdah, and Howrah routes, completing 198 trips.
Western Railway will run 24 special trains from Mumbai, Surat, and Vadodara. These are meant to help people working in Gujarat and Maharashtra travel home for the holidays.
Southern Railway will operate trains on Chennai, Coimbatore, and Madurai routes, completing a total of 66 trips.
Additional Relief from Other Zones
Other railway zones are also taking steps:
East Coast Railway will run trains to Bhubaneswar, Puri, and Sambalpur.
South Eastern Railway will cover routes like Ranchi and Tatanagar.
North Central Railway will run special services from Prayagraj and Kanpur.
Special trains will also be arranged on busy routes such as Bilaspur, Raipur, Bhopal, and Kota, depending on passenger demand.
Railways also mentioned that this is just the first phase, and more trains will be added later as needed.
How to Book Tickets for Special Trains?
Many people wonder if booking for special trains is different. Indian Railways has clarified that there is no separate process. Tickets for these special trains can be booked just like regular trains:
Through the IRCTC website
Using the IRCTC mobile app
Or from railway station reservation counters
Overall, this Diwali and Chhath season, Indian Railways has made massive arrangements to reduce travel stress for lakhs of people.
Passengers from Bihar and Eastern India, in particular, are likely to find it easier to get tickets this year.
