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Top 10 railway zones operating maximum festival special trains 2025 for Puja, Diwali & Chhath – Full list

Festival special trains 2025, Diwali Puja Chhath special trains list: Indian Railways (IR) is operating more than 12,000 special trains this festive season to manage the heavy rush of passengers and ensure they reach their hometowns or destinations safely.

2 min readUpdated: Oct 20, 2025 05:55 PM IST

Festival special trains 2025: IR is running 12000 special trains during the festive season (Image: Ministry of Railways)

Festival special train 2025: Indian Railways (IR) is operating more than 12,000 special trains this festive season to manage the heavy rush of passengers and ensure they reach their hometowns or destinations safely. These special services include both reserved and unreserved trains, while regular train operations continue as usual.

In the past two days, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw visited New Delhi and Anand Vihar railway stations to review arrangements for passenger safety and convenience during the festive season. During his inspection, the minister inspected the holding areas and interacted directly with passengers.

55% Surge

Increase in Festival Special Trains

7,724

2024

12,000

2025

Top 10 Railway Zones by Special Trains

Central Railway

1,998

trains

Northern Railway

1,919

trains

Western Railway

1,501

trains

North Western Railway

1,217

trains

East Central Railway

1,217

trains

South Central Railway

973

trains

Southern Railway

527

trains

North Eastern Railway

442

trains

North Central Railway

438

trains

Northeast Frontier Railway

427

trains

Indian Express InfoGenIE

Indian Railways Festival special trains 2025

In a statement, the national transporter said: “IR is running 12000 special trains during the festive season (Puja, Chhath, Diwali) as compared to 7724 train ran in 2024.”

Also Read | Diwali 2025: Can a passenger travel if one train ticket in a PNR remains on waiting list?

Top 10 railway zones with maximum special trains for Diwali, Durga Puja & Chhath

In 2025, the Central Railway is operating the highest number of festival special trains for Durga Puja, Diwali, and Chhath, with 1,998 services. It is followed by the Northern Railway (1,919), Western Railway (1,501), North Western and East Central Railways (1,217 each), South Central Railway (973), Southern Railway (527), North Eastern Railway (442), North Central Railway (438), Northeast Frontier Railway (427), and East Coast Railway (367).

Also Read | From special trains to holding areas: Northern Railway steps up preparations for Diwali, Chhath puja

Top 10 Indian Railway zones with highest number of special trains for Puja, Diwali & Chhath

Zone	Number of Special Trains
Central Railway	1998
East Coast Railway	367
East Central Railway	1217
Eastern Railway	310
Konkan Railway	3
North Central Railway	438
North Eastern Railway	442
Northeast Frontier Railway	427
Northern Railway	1919
North Western Railway	1217
South Central Railway	973
South East Central Railway	106
South Eastern Railway	140
Southern Railway	527
South Western Railway	325
West Central Railway	101
Western Railway	1501
Grand Total	12011

(Source: Ministry of Railways)

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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