Indian Railways Announces 150 Special Trains to Tackle Festive Season Rush, Targets Over 20 Lakh Passengers
Indian Railways to run 150 special trains for the festive season, aiming to serve over 20 lakh passengers and ease holiday travel rush across key routes
As India gears up for the upcoming festive season, the Indian Railways has announced the launch of 150 special trains to tackle the surge in passenger traffic. Festivals like Durga Puja, Diwali, Chhath Puja, and Christmas witness one of the highest demands for long-distance travel, with millions of people returning to their hometowns. This year, to ensure smooth travel, the Railways has introduced an extensive plan aimed at carrying over 20 lakh passengers across various routes.
Every year, the festive season brings with it a massive spike in demand for train tickets. For many Indians, especially those from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha, festivals are synonymous with returning to their native villages and towns. With regular trains often running at full capacity, the Indian Railways steps in with special trains to cater to the heavy rush.
According to railway officials, this year’s demand has been unprecedented, with ticket bookings on popular routes like Delhi–Patna, Mumbai–Varanasi, and Kolkata–Lucknow being sold out within hours of opening. By introducing 150 additional trains, the Railways aims to reduce waiting lists and provide relief to passengers struggling to secure tickets.
The special trains have been strategically planned across high-demand routes. Some of the major highlights include:
Targeted Routes: Trains will connect metros like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata with major towns and cities in eastern and northern India.
Frequency: Many trains will run multiple times a week during peak travel days to accommodate maximum passengers.
Passenger Capacity: The additional trains are expected to carry over 20 lakh passengers during the festive season rush.
AC & Sleeper Coaches: Trains will include a mix of AC, Sleeper, and General coaches to ensure affordability for all categories of travelers.
Real-Time Monitoring: Railways will monitor demand closely and introduce extra trips for select trains based on ticket booking trends.
Officials have assured that these trains will maintain strict safety and punctuality standards to ensure smooth operations despite the heavy load.
The Railways has given special attention to routes leading to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, as these states see the highest outbound migration during festivals. Cities like Patna, Varanasi, Lucknow, Gorakhpur, and Gaya are among the top destinations, with trains running fully booked weeks in advance.
Extra trains from Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Surat, Ahmedabad, and Bengaluru have been scheduled to these regions, providing much-needed relief to passengers heading home for Diwali and Chhath Puja.
The Indian Railways has urged passengers to make maximum use of the IRCTC online booking platform and mobile app for hassle-free reservations. Real-time availability, instant booking, and digital ticketing are expected to reduce crowding at railway counters.
Additionally, passengers can now track special train details through the NTES (National Train Enquiry System) app, which provides live updates on train timings, seat availability, and route information.
Handling a surge of 20 lakh additional passengers in a short span is no easy task. The Railways has put in place several safety and operational measures:
Additional Staff Deployment: Ticket-checking staff, RPF (Railway Protection Force) personnel, and catering teams will be increased.
Crowd Control: Major stations like Delhi, Patna, Mumbai CST, Howrah, and Lucknow will have extra crowd-management arrangements.
Sanitization & Cleanliness: Special emphasis on cleanliness in trains and stations, given the heavy footfall.
Punctuality Drive: Dedicated monitoring cells to ensure that special trains run on time despite congestion.
Festive travel is not just about homecoming — it also fuels the economy. Migrant workers returning home often bring gifts, money, and goods, boosting local markets in small towns and villages. Increased passenger traffic also benefits small vendors, taxi drivers, and hospitality services around major stations.
For the Railways, festive season specials mean higher revenue from ticket sales, catering services, and onboard facilities. The 150 special trains are expected to generate hundreds of crores in additional revenue during the season.
While many passengers have welcomed the move, some remain skeptical about availability and overcrowding. Past years have shown that even with additional trains, waiting lists remain long, and ticket scalping (black marketing) becomes rampant.
Social media has been abuzz with passengers requesting transparency in ticket allotments and stricter action against unauthorized touts. Others have expressed hope that the Railways will maintain safety and hygiene standards despite the rush.
While special trains help in the short term, experts believe that the Indian Railways must take a long-term approach to address recurring festive rush challenges. Some proposals include:
Doubling of Tracks: Expediting work on busy corridors to run more trains.
Modern High-Speed Corridors: Projects like the Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train can take pressure off traditional routes.
More Sleeper Coaches: Expanding capacity in regular trains by adding extra coaches during peak seasons.
Dynamic Pricing Reforms: Better management of ticket fares to control demand surges.
These initiatives, combined with the use of AI-driven passenger demand forecasting, could help the Railways plan more efficiently in the future.
