Indian Railways to Run 18 Special Trains for Diwali and Chhath Travel
Train passengers planning to travel home during the festive season may get some relief as Indian Railways has approved 18 festival special trains to handle the additional rush around Dussehra, Diwali and Chhath Puja.
According to the supplied report, these additional trains are expected to benefit around 32,000 passengers, particularly those struggling with long waiting lists on regular services.
The special train arrangements will provide additional travel options on routes connecting major cities and regions including Delhi, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Purvanchal and West Bengal.
The festive season traditionally sees a sharp increase in passenger demand as people working in major cities travel back to their hometowns. As a result, confirmed tickets on popular routes can become difficult to find.
The introduction of festival special trains is intended to add capacity and reduce some of the pressure on regular services.
18 Festival Special Trains Approved
According to the information provided, the Railway Board has approved the operation of 18 special trains for the festive travel period.
These services are being introduced as passenger demand increases around major festivals.
For passengers travelling toward Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in particular, the festive period can result in long waiting lists on popular trains.
Additional services provide more seats and berths, although their introduction does not guarantee that every waitlisted passenger will receive a confirmed ticket.
Travellers should check seat availability for their specific date, route and class before making plans.
Special Trains on Delhi, Mumbai, Bihar and UP Routes
The special services are expected to benefit passengers travelling across several high-demand corridors.
According to the supplied information, additional trains will serve routes involving Delhi, Mumbai, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Purvanchal and West Bengal.
Special train arrangements have also been mentioned for routes involving Mau, Ghazipur City, Gorakhpur and Banaras.
These locations become particularly important during the festive season because a large number of passengers return to eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for Diwali and Chhath celebrations.
The additional services are expected to provide more options to travellers who have been unable to secure confirmed reservations on regular trains.
Two Special Trains to Mumbai via Lucknow
The report states that two festival special trains will operate toward Mumbai via Lucknow.
Operations of these two Mumbai-bound services are scheduled to begin from October 21, 2026, according to the supplied information.
The arrangements are also expected to provide additional travel options for passengers on routes connected with Delhi, Patna and Chandigarh.
Passengers should, however, check the exact train number, boarding station, departure date, timings, route and booking availability before planning their journey.
Festival special trains can have different schedules from regular services and may operate only on selected dates.
Mau, Ghazipur, Gorakhpur and Banaras Routes Included
Eastern Uttar Pradesh is one of the areas that sees substantial passenger movement during the festive period.
The report mentions special train arrangements involving Mau, Ghazipur City, Gorakhpur and Banaras.
These services could be particularly useful for passengers travelling toward Purvanchal.
During Diwali and Chhath, regular trains serving these destinations often see strong demand, making confirmed reservations harder to obtain.
Adding festival special trains increases overall capacity and gives passengers another option to search for available seats.
Around 32,000 Passengers Could Benefit
According to the supplied report, the 18 special trains are expected to provide relief to approximately 32,000 passengers affected by waiting lists.
The additional capacity could increase the number of seats available during the festive rush and help reduce pressure on regularly scheduled trains.
However, passengers should not interpret the 32,000 figure as meaning that 32,000 existing waitlisted tickets will automatically become confirmed.
Confirmation depends on the particular train, travel date, reservation class, quota, cancellations and availability.
Passengers with existing waitlisted tickets should continue checking their current PNR status.
Why Festival Trains Become Important During Diwali and Chhath
Passenger traffic increases significantly on several routes during major festivals as workers, students and families travel from metropolitan areas to their hometowns.
Delhi and Mumbai are two major origin points for passengers travelling toward Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and adjoining regions.
Chhath Puja, in particular, generates heavy travel demand toward Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh.
When seats on regular trains fill up, waiting lists can grow quickly.
Festival special trains are used to supplement existing services by providing additional capacity on busy corridors.
How to Check Seats on Festival Special Trains
Passengers planning a journey should search for trains using the official railway reservation system and verify the schedule for their intended date.
When a festival special service is opened for reservation, travellers should check its train number, route, boarding station and available classes.
It is also important to verify whether the service operates daily, weekly or only on specific dates.
A train appearing in a festive-season announcement does not necessarily mean it will operate every day throughout the festival period.
Passengers should rely on the schedule applicable to their actual travel date.
Check the Fare Before Booking
Festival special trains may have fare structures that differ from some regular services depending on the category of train and applicable railway rules.
Passengers should therefore check the final fare shown at the time of booking instead of assuming that it will be identical to the fare of a regular train on the same route.
Travellers should also confirm the class, boarding station and destination before making payment.
During periods of heavy demand, making a booking error can be particularly inconvenient because alternative confirmed seats may be difficult to find.
Don't Rely on Unofficial Festival Train Messages
During Diwali and Chhath, messages claiming that new special trains have been announced frequently circulate through social media and messaging applications.
Passengers should verify train numbers and schedules through official railway channels before making travel arrangements.
Do not make payments through unknown links claiming to offer guaranteed railway tickets.
Similarly, passengers should never share OTPs, banking PINs or other sensitive financial information with anyone claiming to provide a confirmed railway reservation.
Book Early but Keep Checking Availability
Passengers whose travel dates are fixed may benefit from checking special train availability as soon as reservations become available.
Those who already have waitlisted tickets can continue monitoring their PNR status while also checking whether a suitable festival special train has seats available.
Passengers with flexible travel plans may also compare nearby dates.
Availability can change because of cancellations, additional coaches, newly announced services and other operational changes.
Extra Trains Could Ease the Festive Rush
The approval of 18 festival special trains could provide additional travel options for passengers heading home during Dussehra, Diwali and Chhath.
According to the supplied report, around 32,000 passengers could benefit from the extra capacity.
Routes involving Delhi, Mumbai, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Purvanchal and West Bengal are expected to benefit, while special arrangements have also been mentioned for Mau, Ghazipur City, Gorakhpur and Banaras.
Two Mumbai-bound festival special trains via Lucknow are scheduled to start operating from October 21, 2026, according to the report.
Passengers planning festive travel should check the latest train schedule, reservation status, fare and stoppages before booking because the availability and operating dates of special trains can vary.
Note: Train schedules, routes, timings, fares and seat availability can be revised for operational reasons. Passengers should verify the details through official Indian Railways reservation channels before beginning their journey.