Central Railway has announced a special superfast weekly service between Mumbai’s Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) and Nagpur to handle the anticipated festive rush during Navratri, Diwali, and Chhath. The move is expected to provide much-needed relief for thousands of passengers travelling homeward for celebrations, with additional capacity being introduced from late September through November.
According to railway officials, the service will begin on September 25 and continue until November 28, covering ten trips in each direction. The special train will operate on Thursdays from LTT and Fridays from Nagpur, ensuring an extra travel option during peak demand. The fares for this service will be set at 1.3 times the normal rate, reflecting the special category pricing commonly applied to festival season trains. Timings have been structured to accommodate passenger convenience. Train number 02139 will leave LTT at 00:25 hours every Thursday and reach Nagpur at 15:30 hours on the same day. In the reverse direction, train number 02140 will depart Nagpur at 13:30 hours on Fridays, reaching LTT by 04:10 hours the next morning. Officials confirmed that traffic at both ends will be supported with additional staff to manage the expected surge.
The special service will run with 20 coaches, including five general compartments, 10 sleeper class coaches, three AC 3-tier coaches, and two guard-cum-luggage vans. This configuration, railway planners note, has been designed to accommodate both budget-conscious travellers and those seeking more comfort. The Nagpur division has also urged passengers to book early to avoid last-minute rush, highlighting the high demand that typically overwhelms festive season train bookings. While the immediate purpose of this measure is to manage passenger congestion, transport analysts point out that the seasonal rush also raises questions about long-term rail capacity on high-density corridors such as Mumbai–Nagpur. With growing reliance on train travel for sustainable mobility, experts have called for investment in higher frequency services, better ticketing mechanisms, and long-term capacity enhancement to avoid overcrowding in future festive seasons.
Officials emphasised that this service is a proactive step towards balancing passenger demand with operational feasibility. They added that smooth handling of such seasonal surges is crucial for maintaining public trust in rail travel as a safe, efficient, and eco-friendly mode of transport. As the festive season approaches, the introduction of this additional train is expected to ease some of the stress of long-distance travel and ensure that families can celebrate together, underscoring the social significance of timely transport interventions.
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