Diwali 2024 Special Trains: Indian Railways to Operate Services to Manage Holiday Rush During Festival Season; Check Details

With the festive season kicking off in India, travel demand has soared ahead of festivals like Diwali 2024 and Chhath Puja. In response, Indian Railways has announced special trains to accommodate the increased demand, ensuring passengers can travel comfortably and avoid the typical holiday rush. These festival special trains are aimed at easing travel for those heading home to celebrate with their families.

Special Trains Launched to Ease Festive Travel Rush
As the festive season begins with Sharadiya Navratri, followed by Diwali, Chhath Puja, and other major celebrations, thousands of people living away from home begin planning their return trips. However, the surge in demand makes securing tickets challenging. To tackle this, Indian Railways has introduced several special trains on key routes across the country, ensuring smoother travel during the holiday season.

Special Diwali and Chhath Puja Trains Announced
To facilitate travel during Diwali and Chhath Puja, Indian Railways has introduced special trains. One such train, Train 07625, will depart from Hazur Sahib Nanded at 11 p.m. every Monday and Wednesday, from October 21 to November 27, and will arrive in Panvel at 1:25 p.m. the next day.

Both trains will run for 12 services each and will make stops at key stations including Parbhani, Nashik Road, Purna, Lasur, Manwat, Igatpuri, Jalna, Kalyan, Selu, Aurangabad, Rotegaon, Partur, Nagarsol, and Manmad. Additionally, several other special trains have been introduced to connect major routes like Mumbai, Prayagraj, Samastipur, and Gorakhpur, ensuring a hassle-free travel experience for passengers during the festive season.

Special Festival Trains: LTT-Danapur and CSMT-Asansol Routes
Indian Railways has announced special trains to accommodate the festive rush:

• Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) – Danapur Daily Special (Train 01143): This daily service will run from October 22 to November 11, departing from Mumbai’s LTT at 10:30 a.m. and arriving in Danapur at 6:30 p.m. the following day.
• Danapur-LTT Daily Special (Train 01144): The return service from Danapur to LTT will operate from October 23 to November 12, leaving Danapur at 9:30 p.m. and reaching LTT at 4:50 a.m. on the third day.
• CSMT-Asansol Weekly Special (Train 01145): This weekly service will depart Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) every Monday from October 21 to November 11 at 11:05 a.m., arriving in Asansol at 2:30 a.m. on the third day.
• Asansol-CSMT Weekly Special (Train 01146): The return journey from Asansol to CSMT will operate every Wednesday from October 23 to November 13, departing at 9:00 p.m. and reaching CSMT at 8:15 a.m. on the third day.

Also Read| Diwali 2024 Special Trains: South Western Railway to Operate Special Service Between Bengaluru and Kalaburagi; Check Details.

Special Festival Trains: Pune-Danapur, CSMT-Agartala, and LTT-Banaras Routes

• Pune-Danapur Daily Special (Train 01202): This service will operate daily from October 25 to November 7, departing Pune at 3:30 p.m. and arriving in Danapur at 2:00 a.m. the next morning.
• Danapur-Pune Return Service (Train 01206): This train will run from October 27 to November 9, leaving Danapur at 5:30 a.m. and reaching Pune at 6:15 p.m. the following day.
• CSMT-Agartala Weekly Special (Train 01605): This weekly train will run every Thursday from October 31 to November 7, departing CSMT at 11:05 a.m. and arriving in Agartala at 1:10 p.m. on Sunday.
• Agartala-CSMT Return Service (Train 01066): This train will leave Agartala every Sunday at 3:10 p.m., arriving at CSMT at 3:50 a.m. on Wednesday, running from November 3 to November 10.
• LTT-Banaras Weekly Special (Train 01053): This train will operate every Wednesday from October 30 to November 6, departing LTT at 12:15 p.m. and arriving in Varanasi at 4:05 p.m. the following day.
• Banaras-LTT Return Service (Train 01054): This train will run every Thursday from October 31 to November 7, leaving Varanasi at 8:30 p.m. and arriving at LTT at 11:55 p.m. the next day.

Special Festival Trains: LTT-Danapur, LTT-Samastipur, and LTT-Mumbai Prayagraj Routes
Indian Railways has announced special trains to accommodate festive travel needs:

• LTT-Danapur Weekly Special (Train 01009): This train will operate on October 26, 28, and November 2, 4, departing from LTT at 12:15 p.m. and arriving in Danapur at 5:00 p.m. the next day.
• Danapur-LTT Return Service (Train 01010): The return journey will take place on October 27, 29, and November 3, 5, leaving Danapur at 6:15 p.m. and reaching LTT at 11:55 p.m. the following day.
• LTT-Samastipur Weekly Special (Train 01043): This train will depart from LTT every Thursday from October 31 to November 7 at 12:15 p.m., arriving in Samastipur at 9:15 a.m. the next day.
• Samastipur-LTT Return Service (Train 01044): This train will run every Friday from November 1 to November 8, departing Samastipur at 11:20 p.m. and reaching LTT at 7:40 a.m. on the third day.
• LTT-Mumbai-Prayagraj Weekly Special (Train 01045): This service will depart from LTT on Tuesdays, October 29 and November 5, at 12:15 p.m., arriving in Prayagraj at 11:20 a.m. the following day.
• Prayagraj-LTT Return Service (Train 01046): This train will leave Prayagraj on Wednesdays, October 30 and November 6, at 6:50 p.m., reaching LTT at 4:05 p.m. the following day. The train will stop at key stations including Kalyan, Nashik Road, Bhusaval, Khandwa, Itarsi, Pipariya, Jabalpur, Katni, Satna, Manikpur, and Shankargarh.

Special Trains Announced for Festive Travel: LTT-Gorakhpur, Bengaluru-Kalaburagi, and New Delhi-Patna
LTT Mumbai-Gorakhpur Weekly Special (Train 01123): This train will depart from LTT at 12:15 p.m. on Fridays and Sundays (October 25, 27, November 1, and 3), arriving in Gorakhpur at 6:55 p.m. the next day. The return service (Train 01124) will leave Gorakhpur at 9:15 p.m. on Saturdays and Mondays (October 26, 28, November 2, and 4), reaching LTT at 7:25 a.m. two days later. Key stops include Thane, Kalyan, Nashik Road, Bhopal, and Kanpur Central.

Bengaluru-Kalaburagi Express Special: The train will leave SMVT Bengaluru at 9:15 p.m. on October 30 and November 2, arriving in Kalaburagi at 7:40 a.m. the next day, with stops at various stations. The return train will depart Kalaburagi at 9:35 a.m. on October 31 and November 3, reaching Bengaluru by 8:00 p.m. the same day. The train consists of 19 coaches, including General Second Class and AC Three-tier.

Tejas Superfast Festival Special: This train will run from New Delhi to Patna on October 29, 31, and November 2 and 5, departing at 8:25 a.m. and arriving in Patna at 8:30 p.m. the same day. The return trip will operate on October 30, November 1, 3, and 6, leaving Patna at 7:30 a.m. and reaching New Delhi at 7:35 p.m., with several key stops along the route.

Vande Bharat Express on Patna-Delhi Route for Festive Season
Indian Railways is introducing a Vande Bharat Express service on the Patna-Delhi route for the first time during the festive season. This trial service aims to provide quicker travel between the two cities, reducing the journey time to approximately 11.5 hours. The train will feature only chair car seating, with no sleeper class available.

Schedule: The Vande Bharat Express will depart from New Delhi at 8:25 a.m. on October 30, November 1, 3, and 6, reaching Patna at 8:00 p.m. The train will stop at key stations including Ara, Buxar, DDU, Prayagraj, and Kanpur. The return service will operate on November 2, 4, and 7, leaving Patna at 7:30 a.m.

Fare Details: The fare for the AC Chair Car is ₹2,575, while the AC Executive Chair Car fare is ₹4,655.

Delhi-Patna Superfast Festival Special
In addition, the Delhi-Patna Superfast Festival Special Express will run on October 24 and 31, departing from Delhi at 11:55 p.m. and arriving in Patna Junction at 4:40 p.m. the following day. The return train will leave Patna at 5:50 p.m. on October 25 and November 1, stopping at Danapur, Ara, Buxar, DDU, Prayagraj, and Govindpuri.

Ticket Booking Information
Passengers can book tickets for these special trains for Diwali and Chhath Puja through the IRCTC app or at railway ticket counters. Early booking is advised, especially for Tatkal tickets, due to limited seat availability.