Central Railway has announced additional Pune special trains to Danapur and Gorakhpur to handle increased passenger demand during the Diwali and Chhath travel season, giving travellers between Maharashtra and North India more options during the festive rush.
The services have been introduced under the Train on Demand initiative, according to Central Railway officials. The additional trains will operate from Pune and Hadapsar, with services scheduled between November 9 and November 20.
The Pune-Danapur special will depart from Pune at 20:20 on Monday, November 9, and reach Danapur at 05:50 on Wednesday, November 11. Its return service will leave Danapur at 10:30 on Wednesday, November 11, and arrive in Pune at 19:15 on Thursday, November 12.
A one-way Pune-Danapur special is also scheduled to depart from Pune at 20:20 on Tuesday, November 10, and arrive at Danapur at 05:50 on Thursday, November 12.
The Gorakhpur-Hadapsar special will run on two trips, leaving Gorakhpur at 21:55 on Tuesdays, November 10 and 17. It is scheduled to reach Hadapsar at 10:05 on Thursdays, November 12 and 19, respectively. The return Hadapsar-Gorakhpur service will depart at 11:10 on Thursdays, November 12 and 19, and arrive in Gorakhpur at 19:00 on Fridays, November 13 and 20.
Central Railway said all coaches on the special services will operate as unreserved coaches. General Second Class and SLRD coaches will be available for passengers travelling without reservations. Tickets can be purchased through the UTS mobile application or at railway booking counters, with normal Mail and Express fares applicable.
Advance reservations on special charges will begin on November 9 through computerised Passenger Reservation System counters and the IRCTC website, according to the announcement. The combination of reserved and unreserved access is intended to provide passengers with additional ways to secure travel during a period when demand on routes linking Maharashtra with Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh rises sharply.
The schedules also underline the operational complexity of managing festive-season movement. Passengers using intermediate stations have been advised to verify exact arrival and departure timings before starting their journey, as train movement and station timings may vary. Central Railway has directed passengers to use the Indian Railways enquiry portal or the National Train Enquiry System mobile application for the latest information.
The services will conclude with the scheduled Hadapsar-Gorakhpur return trips on November 19 and 20, while the Pune-Danapur services are scheduled around November 9 to 12.
