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Planning to celebrate Holi with loved ones? Here’s the full list of special trains connecting Bengal

Dol Yatra will be celebrated on March 3 this year.

3 min readKolkataUpdated: Feb 16, 2026 04:53 PM IST

The Shalimar station falls under the administrative control of South Eastern Railway's Kharagpur Division.

The Shalimar-Visakhapatnam Special (Train No. 08507) will leave Shalimar every Tuesday between March 4 and March 18, 2026, at 05:00 hrs. (File Photo)

In an effort to manage the festive rush for Holi and Dol Yatra (March 3), the Indian Railways has announced the operation of over 1,500 special trains across the country. With the festival of colours set to be celebrated on March 4, 2026, various railway zones, including South Eastern (SER), Eastern (ER), and Northeast Frontier (NFR), have notified special schedules to ensure smooth travel and accommodate the surge in passenger demand.

The planning aims to provide reliable travel options for millions, with special focus on connecting key destinations in West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Assam.

South Eastern Railway specials

The South Eastern Railway (SER) will operate dedicated services between Shalimar and Visakhapatnam to ease the route between West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh.

To accommodate the festive rush, SER will operate the Visakhapatnam-Shalimar Holi Special (Train No. 08508), which is scheduled to depart from Visakhapatnam every Wednesday between March 3 and March 17, 2026, at 11:20 hrs, reaching Shalimar at 03:00 hrs the following day. In the return direction, the Shalimar-Visakhapatnam Special (Train No. 08507) will leave Shalimar every Tuesday between March 4 and March 18, 2026, at 05:00 hrs, arriving in Visakhapatnam at 20:50 hrs the same day. These special services are designed to provide extra capacity and will include important regional stoppages at Santragachi, Kharagpur, and Baleshwar.

Eastern Railway specials

The Eastern Railway (ER) is adding over 12,600 berths through special services, specifically targeting pilgrims and travellers heading to Puri (via Malatipatpur) and Delhi.

Sealdah-Malatipatpur (03101/03102)

03101: Leaves Sealdah every Friday (February 27 – March 20) at 23:50 hrs.

03102: Leaves Malatipatpur every Saturday (February 28 – March 21) at 15:40 hrs.

Features: Fully air-conditioned accommodation.

Dankuni-Anand Vihar Terminal (03009/03010)

03009: Leaves Dankuni on February 28 and March 7 at 00:20 hrs.

03010: Leaves Anand Vihar on March 1 and March 8 at 15:00 hrs.

Features: General Second Class, Sleeper, and AC coaches.

Northeast Frontier Railway specials

The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has initially planned four pairs of special trains to connect the Northeast with major hubs in Punjab, Bihar, and West Bengal.

Train No. 05633/05634 (Narangi-Gorakhpur) will operate every Thursday (Up) from February 19 to March 26 and every Friday (Down) from February 20 to March 27, departing Narangi at 13:20 hrs. Train No. 05736/05735 (Katihar-Amritsar) is set to run every Wednesday (Up) starting February 18 and every Friday (Down) from February 20, with departures from Katihar at 21:00 hrs. For those travelling from Assam to Bihar, Train No. 05974/05973 (Dibrugarh-Jhanjharpur) will run every Tuesday (Up) from February 17 to March 31 and every Wednesday (Down) from February 18 to April 1, leaving Dibrugarh at 05:20 hrs. Additionally, Train No. 05932/05931 (Dibrugarh-Kolkata) will provide connectivity every Saturday (Up) from February 21 to March 7 and every Monday (Down) from February 23 to March 9, departing Dibrugarh at 17:00 hrs.

Sweety Kumari

Sweety Kumari is a seasoned journalist reporting from West Bengal for The Indian Express. With over a decade of experience in the media industry and eight years specifically with The Indian Express, she demonstrates considerable Expertise and Authority across a diverse range of critical beats. Experience & Authority Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express, reporting from West Bengal. Extensive Tenure: Over 10 years of experience in the media industry, with a long association (8 years) with The Indian Express, contributing to a high level of Trustworthiness. Diverse Coverage: Covers crucial beats including Crime, Defence, Health, and Politics, alongside writing on trending topics. Investigative Focus: Possesses a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories, demonstrating depth and skill in impactful journalism. Beat Versatility: Has honed her craft across diverse beats, including aviation and reporting on various incidents, ensuring well-rounded and comprehensive reportage. Career Start: Began her journalistic journey as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a news portal in Kolkata, providing a foundational understanding of media landscape and audience engagement. Education Advanced Education: Holds a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University, equipping her with advanced media theory and skills. Undergraduate Education: Holds an Honours degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College. Multilingual Skill: Her fluency in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili enhances her reach and capability to connect with diverse sources and communities in the region, adding a layer of accessibility and authenticity to her reporting. Regional Roots: Originally from Bihar, she was brought up and educated in Kolkata (Kendriya Vidyalaya Salt Lake), giving her a deep, personal understanding of the cultural and political nuances of her reporting region. Sweety Kumari's combination of significant experience, specialization in key beats like Crime and Politics, and strong academic background makes her a trusted and authoritative contributor to The Indian Express. ... Read More

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