Indian Railways announces 100 special trains for Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath: Check details

Indian Railways has announced 100 special trains for Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath to manage festive travel demand. Check routes and key details.

2 min readUpdated: Sep 14, 2026 09:10 PM IST

Indian Railways announces 100 special trains for upcoming festive season. (Image: Ministry of Railways/File)

Indian Railways Special Trains: Indian Railways has announced more than 100 special trains on several routes to manage the rush during the upcoming festive season. These trains will help passengers travel to their hometowns for Durga Puja, Diwali, Chhath and other festivals and spend time with their families.

The special trains will operate on routes connecting states such as Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. They will also provide additional seats and berths, helping reduce waiting lists and make travel easier for passengers.

Railways has also added extra coaches to some regular trains to accommodate more passengers and provide a more comfortable journey during the festive season.

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IRCTC train ticket booking

Meanwhile, IRCTC has taken several steps to improve ticket booking during the festive period. These include adding more servers, upgrading the NGeT system, introducing a new user interface and deploying anti-bot technology to improve the booking experience for genuine passengers. IRCTC said around 89 per cent of all reserved tickets are currently booked online.

According to IRCTC, the capacity of its Next Generation e-Ticketing (NGeT) system has been significantly increased through both hardware and software upgrades.

The railway PSU said new servers have been added in place of older infrastructure, increasing the overall capacity of the system to nearly twice its earlier level. Software optimisation and architectural improvements have also helped increase the system’s ability to handle booking requests.

IRCTC also introduced the beta version of its new user interface on July 15, 2026. The redesigned interface gives the booking website a more modern look and presents information in a more structured manner. One of the changes is that passengers can view availability across different classes, including Sleeper, AC 3 Tier and AC 2 Tier, on a single screen.

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Full list of special trains announced by different railway zones so far

Indian Railways Festival Special Trains (Oct–Dec 2026)

Full list of 102 trains — UP and DOWN services listed separately

UP DOWN

S.No	Train No.	Direction	Route (From → To)	No. of Trips	Schedule	Frequency	Coach Composition	Remarks
1	01905	UP	Kanpur Central to Asarva	9	Oct 5 – Nov 30	-	-	–
2	01906	DOWN	Asarva to Kanpur Central	9	Oct 6 – Dec 1	-	-	–
3	01907	UP	Agra Cantt to Udhna	8	Oct 6 – Nov 24	-	-	–
4	01908	DOWN	Udhna to Agra Cantt	8	Oct 7 – Nov 25	-	-	–
5	01909	UP	Asarva to Agra Cantt	8	Oct 6 – Nov 24	-	-	–
6	01910	DOWN	Agra Cantt to Asarva	8	Oct 5 – Nov 23	-	-	–
7	02199	UP	VGL Jhansi to Bandra Terminus	9	Oct 1 – Nov 26	-	-	–
8	02200	DOWN	Bandra Terminus to VGL Jhansi	9	Oct 3 – Nov 28	-	-	–
9	04105	UP	Prayagraj to Udhna	18	Oct 1 – Nov 29	Twice a week	-	–
10	04106	DOWN	Udhna to Prayagraj	18	Oct 2 – Nov 30	Twice a week	-	–
11	04179	UP	Prayagraj to Sabarmati	17	Oct 3 – Nov 28	Twice a week	-	Replaces 04111/04112 Prayagraj–Gandhigram–Prayagraj
12	04180	DOWN	Sabarmati to Prayagraj	17	Oct 4 – Nov 29	Twice a week	-	Replaces 04111/04112 Prayagraj–Gandhigram–Prayagraj
13	04119	UP	Subedarganj to Valsad	9	Oct 3 – Nov 28	-	-	–
14	04120	DOWN	Valsad to Subedarganj	9	Oct 4 – Nov 29	-	-	–
15	04139	UP	Prayagraj to Dadar	9	Oct 2 – Nov 27	-	-	–
16	04140	DOWN	Dadar to Prayagraj	9	Oct 4 – Nov 29	-	-	–
17	04155	UP	Subedarganj to Udhna	12	Oct 19 – Nov 26	Twice a week	-	–
18	04156	DOWN	Udhna to Subedarganj	12	Oct 20 – Nov 27	Twice a week	-	–
19	04175	UP	Subedarganj to Dadar	8	Oct 4 – Nov 22	-	-	–
20	04176	DOWN	Dadar to Subedarganj	8	Oct 6 – Nov 24	-	-	–
21	04177	UP	Subedarganj to Valsad	8	Oct 6 – Nov 24	-	-	–
22	04178	DOWN	Valsad to Subedarganj	8	Oct 7 – Nov 25	-	-	–
23	04169	UP	Subedarganj to Indore	17	Oct 2 – Nov 27	Twice a week	-	–
24	04170	DOWN	Indore to Subedarganj	17	Oct 3 – Nov 28	Twice a week	-	–
25	04173	UP	Prayagraj to Veraval	9	Oct 1 – Nov 26	-	-	–
26	04174	DOWN	Veraval to Prayagraj	9	Oct 2 – Nov 27	-	-	–
27	04103	UP	Subedarganj to Panvel	5 (additional)	Oct 21 – Nov 18	-	22 LHB coaches	–
28	04104	DOWN	Panvel to Subedarganj	5 (additional)	Oct 22 – Nov 19	-	22 LHB coaches	–
29	02877	UP	Ranchi to Anand Vihar	9 (additional)	Oct 3 – Nov 28	-	-	–
30	02878	DOWN	Anand Vihar to Ranchi	9 (additional)	Oct 4 – Nov 29	-	-	–
31	04157	UP	Kanpur Central to Kolkata	8	Oct 6 – Nov 24	-	-	–
32	04158	DOWN	Kolkata to Kanpur Central	8	Oct 7 – Nov 25	-	-	–
33	01911	UP	Agra Cantt to Kolkata	9	Oct 1 – Nov 26	-	-	–
34	01912	DOWN	Kolkata to Agra Cantt	9	Oct 2 – Nov 27	-	-	–
35	04185	UP	Veerangana Lakshmibai Jhansi to Asansol	16	Oct 7 – Nov 29	-	-	–
36	04186	DOWN	Asansol to Veerangana Lakshmibai Jhansi	16	Oct 8 – Nov 30	-	-	–
37	05183	UP	Azamgarh to Bandra Terminus	9 (additional)	Oct 3 – Nov 28	-	-	–
38	05184	DOWN	Bandra Terminus to Azamgarh	9 (additional)	Oct 5 – Nov 30	-	-	–
39	09601	UP	Madar Junction to Patna Junction	9 (additional)	Oct 1 – Nov 26	-	-	09601 timing at Tundla Jn. revised to 14:45/14:50 hrs from Oct 1
40	09602	DOWN	Patna Junction to Madar Junction	9 (additional)	Oct 2 – Nov 27	-	-	09601 timing at Tundla Jn. revised to 14:45/14:50 hrs from Oct 1
41	02417	UP	Prayagraj to Shakur Basti	34 (Sep–Oct daily phase)	Sep 11 – Oct 14 (daily)	Daily till mid-Oct, then 4 days/week (Oct–Dec)	-	–
42	02418	DOWN	Shakur Basti to Prayagraj	34 (Sep–Oct daily phase)	Sep 12 – Oct 15 (daily)	Daily till mid-Oct, then 4 days/week (Oct–Dec)	-	–
43	04163	UP	Narayanpur Bazar to Shakur Basti	27	Oct – Dec	3 days a week	-	–
44	04164	DOWN	Shakur Basti to Narayanpur Bazar	27	Oct – Dec	3 days a week	-	–
45	03041	UP	Howrah to Raxaul	7	Oct 15 – Nov 26	-	-	–
46	03042	DOWN	Raxaul to Howrah	7	Oct 16 – Nov 27	-	-	–
47	03043	UP	Howrah to Raxaul	7	Oct 17 – Nov 28	-	-	–
48	03044	DOWN	Raxaul to Howrah	7	Oct 18 – Nov 29	-	-	–
49	03135	UP	Sealdah to Patna	7	Oct 13 – Nov 24	-	-	–
50	03136	DOWN	Patna to Sealdah	7	Oct 13 – Nov 24	-	-	–
51	03133	UP	Sealdah to Sitamarhi	7	Oct 16 – Nov 27	-	-	–
52	03134	DOWN	Sitamarhi to Sealdah	7	Oct 17 – Nov 28	-	-	–
53	03131	UP	Sealdah to Gorakhpur	14	Oct 13 – Nov 26	-	-	–
54	03132	DOWN	Gorakhpur to Sealdah	14	Oct 14 – Nov 27	-	-	–
55	03185	UP	Kolkata to Madhubani	7	Oct 13 – Nov 24	-	-	–
56	03186	DOWN	Madhubani to Kolkata	7	Oct 14 – Nov 25	-	-	–
57	03187	UP	Kolkata to Madhubani	7	Oct 16 – Nov 27	-	-	–
58	03188	DOWN	Madhubani to Kolkata	7	Oct 17 – Nov 28	-	-	–
59	03511	UP	Asansol to Patna	7	Oct 18 – Nov 29	-	-	–
60	03512	DOWN	Patna to Asansol	7	Oct 18 – Nov 29	-	-	–
61	03527	UP	Asansol to Gorakhpur	7	Oct 16 – Nov 27	-	-	–
62	03528	DOWN	Gorakhpur to Asansol	7	Oct 17 – Nov 28	-	-	–
63	03465	UP	Malda Town to Digha	7	Oct 17 – Nov 28	-	-	–
64	03466	DOWN	Digha to Malda Town	7	Oct 18 – Nov 29	-	-	–
65	03005	UP	Howrah to Lumding	7	Oct 16 – Nov 27	-	General, Sleeper, AC	–
66	03006	DOWN	Lumding to Howrah	7	Oct 17 – Nov 28	-	General, Sleeper, AC	–
67	03129	UP	Kolkata to New Jalpaiguri	14	Oct 17 – Nov 29	Weekends	General, Sleeper, AC	–
68	03130	DOWN	New Jalpaiguri to Kolkata	14	Oct 18 – Nov 30	Weekends	General, Sleeper, AC	–
69	05060	UP	Lalkuan to Kolkata	8	Oct 8 – Nov 26	-	-	Stops at Naihati, Bandel, Barddhaman, Durgapur, Asansol, Chittaranjan, Madhupur, Jasidih (both directions)
70	05059	DOWN	Kolkata to Lalkuan	8	Oct 10 – Nov 28	-	-	Stops at Naihati, Bandel, Barddhaman, Durgapur, Asansol, Chittaranjan, Madhupur, Jasidih (both directions)
71	08581	UP	Visakhapatnam to SMVT Bengaluru	9 (additional)	Oct 2 – Nov 27	-	AC, Sleeper, General	–
72	08582	DOWN	SMVT Bengaluru to Visakhapatnam	9 (additional)	Oct 3 – Nov 28	-	AC, Sleeper, General	–
73	08045	UP	Shalimar to Charlapalli	9 (additional)	Oct 2 – Nov 27	-	24 coaches: AC, Sleeper, General	–
74	08046	DOWN	Charlapalli to Shalimar	9 (additional)	Oct 3 – Nov 28	-	24 coaches: AC, Sleeper, General	–
75	07035	UP	Secunderabad to Sirpur Kaghaznagar	-	Dep 12:10 pm, arr 5:30 pm	Festival rush special	-	Run by South Central Railway
76	07036	DOWN	Sirpur Kaghaznagar to Hyderabad Deccan	-	Dep 6:00 pm, arr 11:15 pm	Festival rush special	-	Run by South Central Railway
77	04008	UP	Anand Vihar Terminal to Jogbani	5	Oct 10 – Nov 7	-	20 coaches	Via Ghaziabad, Moradabad, Bareilly, Gorakhpur, Chhapra, Hajipur, Barauni, Katihar, Purnea, Forbesganj
78	04007	DOWN	Jogbani to Anand Vihar Terminal	5	Oct 11 – Nov 8	-	20 coaches	Via Ghaziabad, Moradabad, Bareilly, Gorakhpur, Chhapra, Hajipur, Barauni, Katihar, Purnea, Forbesganj
79	08047	UP	Santragachi to Naharlagun	3 (additional)	Sep 11, 18, 25, 2026	Weekly (3 trips)	-	–
80	08048	DOWN	Naharlagun to Santragachi	3 (additional)	Sep 12, 19, 26, 2026	Weekly (3 trips)	-	–
81	09189	UP	Mumbai Central to Katihar	7 (additional)	5, 12 Sep; 17, 24, 31 Oct; 7, 14 Nov 2026	-	-	–
82	09190	DOWN	Katihar to Mumbai Central	7 (additional)	8, 15 Sep; 20, 27 Oct; 3, 10, 17 Nov 2026	-	-	–
83	04127	UP	Kanpur Central to Guwahati	14 (additional)	Sep 10 – Dec 10, 2026	-	-	–
84	04128	DOWN	Guwahati to Kanpur Central	14 (additional)	Sep 11 – Dec 11, 2026	-	-	–
85	05736	UP	Katihar to Amritsar	12 (additional)	Sep 9 – Nov 25, 2026	-	-	–
86	05735	DOWN	Amritsar to Katihar	12 (additional)	Sep 11 – Nov 27, 2026	-	-	–
87	05932	UP	Dibrugarh to Kolkata	13 (additional)	Sep 5 – Nov 28, 2026	-	22 coaches	–
88	05931	DOWN	Kolkata to Dibrugarh	13 (additional)	Sep 7 – Nov 30, 2026	-	22 coaches	–
89	03407	UP	Bhagalpur to Katihar	94 (extended)	Aug 29 – Nov 30, 2026 (daily)	Daily	-	Existing daily service extended
90	03408	DOWN	Katihar to Bhagalpur	94 (extended)	Aug 29 – Nov 30, 2026 (daily)	Daily	-	Existing daily service extended
91	06028	UP	Podanur to Dr MGR Chennai Central	-	From Sep 11, 2026	-	+1 AC Chair Car, +1 Chair Car (both directions)	Coach augmentation, not a new special
92	06027	DOWN	Dr MGR Chennai Central to Podanur	-	From Sep 11, 2026	-	+1 AC Chair Car, +1 Chair Car (both directions)	Coach augmentation, not a new special
93	07097	UP	Hyderabad to Mangaluru Central	12 (additional)	Sep 9 – Nov 25, 2026	-	-	–
94	07098	DOWN	Mangaluru Central to Hyderabad	12 (additional)	Sep 10 – Nov 26, 2026	-	-	–
95	04131	UP	Kanpur Central to SMVT Bengaluru	7	Every Sunday, Oct 4 – Nov 15, 2026	Weekly	23 coaches: AC 2-Tier, AC 3-Tier, Sleeper, General	–
96	04132	DOWN	SMVT Bengaluru to Kanpur Central	7	Every Wednesday, Oct 7 – Nov 18, 2026	Weekly	23 coaches: AC 2-Tier, AC 3-Tier, Sleeper, General	–
97	08311	UP	Sambalpur to Podanur	12	Every Wednesday, Sep 9 – Nov 25, 2026	Weekly	-	–
98	08312	DOWN	Podanur to Sambalpur	12	Every Friday, Sep 11 – Nov 27, 2026	Weekly	-	–
99	01925	UP	Kanpur Central to Madurai	13	Every Wednesday, Sep 2 – Nov 25, 2026	Weekly	-	Existing timings & stoppages; advance reservation open at Southern Railway end
100	01926	DOWN	Madurai to Kanpur Central	13	Every Saturday, Sep 5 – Nov 28, 2026	Weekly	-	Existing timings & stoppages; advance reservation open at Southern Railway end
101	09424	UP	Ahmedabad to Mangaluru Jn.	13	Every Friday, Sep 4 – Nov 27, 2026	Weekly	-	Existing timings & stoppages
102	09423	DOWN	Mangaluru Jn. to Ahmedabad	13	Every Saturday, Sep 5 – Nov 28, 2026	Weekly	-	Existing timings & stoppages

Anish Mondal

Anish Mondal is a journalist with over nine years of experience covering the railways and roadways. Currently a member of the Indianexpress.com editorial team, Anish specializes in high-impact sectors. Professional Journey Anish began his career at the public broadcaster Rajya Sabha Television (now Sansad TV), where he developed a foundational understanding of legislative processes and national governance. In 2018, he transitioned to digital financial journalism at FinancialExpress.com, spending nearly six years refining his expertise in market trends and corporate reporting. Before joining The Indian Express in 2025, he served as a key contributor at ETNowNews.com. Education & Expertise Anish’s reporting is backed by a rigorous academic background in communication and the humanities: Master of Journalism and Mass Communication (MJMC) – Apeejay Stya University Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Production (PGTVRJP) – Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication Bachelor of Arts (English Honours) – University of Calcutta Areas of Coverage Connectivity: Detailed reporting on the expansion of Indian Railways and National Highway networks. ... Read More

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