2 min readMumbaiUpdated: Dec 10, 2025 08:13 PM IST
“The winter and year-end period sees one of the highest travel demands of the year, and these special trains will help ease the load on regular services,” said Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer, Central Railway.
The Central Railway will operate 76 Winter Special trains, connecting Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Goa, Kerala, and Rajasthan between mid-December and early January to handle the rush of passengers during the Christmas-New Year winter holidays.
According to officials, the additional services will run across seven major routes, including Mumbai–Karmali, Mumbai–Nagpur, Pune–Nagpur, Pune–Amravati, Pune–Sanganer, LTT–Thiruvananthapuram, and LTT–Mangaluru. The services will begin on December 16 and continue until the first week of January 2026.
“The winter and year-end period sees one of the highest travel demands of the year, and these special trains will help ease the load on regular services,” said Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer, Central Railway.
The highest number of special trains, 36 services, will run on the busy Mumbai CSMT–Karmali route. Train no. 01151 will leave Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) at 12.20 am and reach Karmali in the afternoon, while the return train, 01152, will depart at 2.15 pm.
Long-distance specials in the Konkan route include LTT–Thiruvananthapuram North (8 services) and LTT–Mangaluru Junction (8 services), halting at major Konkan Railway stations such as Ratnagiri, Kankavali, Madgaon, Karwar, Udupi, and Surathkal.
For passengers travelling towards eastern Maharashtra, CSMT–Nagpur weekly specials (6 services) will operate every Saturday. Pune will see three sets of additional trains: Pune–Nagpur, Pune–Amravati, and Pune–Sanganer, each offering six services during the holiday period.
Reservations for the Pune–Amravati specials (01403/01404) will be open on December 10, while bookings for all other notified specials are already available at PRS centres and on IRCTC, officials said. Unreserved tickets can be booked through the UTS mobile app at the normal fare, they added.
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Passengers can access detailed timings and halts through the NTES app or on the Railways enquiry portal.
Naresh S is a Trainee Correspondent with The Indian Express, based out of Mumbai. A graduate of Xavier’s Institute of Communication (XIC), he has an avid interest in civic issues and policy-related domains. At present, he reports on the transport sector, covering suburban railways, BEST bus serives and aviation with a propensity for in-depth analyses and researched-focused reportage.
Core Coverage Areas:
Naresh reports on Mumbai’s urban mobility and public systems, with a focus on transport infrastructure, commuter safety, and policy execution. His reporting is research-driven and data-backed, aimed at explaining how large public systems function or fail, for everyday commuters.
Transport (Primary Beat):
His main beat is transport, covering Mumbai’s suburban railways and BEST bus services. His reportage in this domain spans detailed coverage of events like the Mumbra train accident and its safety implications, as well as follow-up reporting on long-standing gaps such as the delayed implementation of automatic doors on Mumbai local trains. He also tracks infrastructure projects, operational disruptions, and policy decisions affecting daily commuters, often through explainer-style stories.
Aviation (Secondary Beat):
Naresh also covers aviation and airport infrastructure, including reporting on the Navi Mumbai International Airport project. His aviation coverage has included the IndiGo flight disruptions in December 2025, focusing on passenger impact, regulatory response, and systemic issues within civil aviation operations. ... Read More
