Indian Railways has planned 1,053 festival special train trips between 1 October and 30 November 2026 to handle the expected passenger surge during Diwali and Chhath, when regular services on several routes are already showing long waiting lists or ‘regret’ status. The services will connect major cities including Delhi, Prayagraj, Kanpur, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, Guwahati and several destinations in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
According to the details reported by Aaj Tak Business, the plan includes 43 pairs of trains operated through 13 railway zones. Some services will run daily for a limited period, while others will operate on selected days of the week. The additional trains are intended to give passengers an alternative when confirmed seats are unavailable on regular services.
Diwali will be observed on 8 November, while Chhath Puja will be held from 13 to 16 November. These festivals generate one of the country’s largest seasonal movements of passengers, particularly towards eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar from employment and education centres across northern, western and southern India. The railway schedule covers routes connecting cities such as New Delhi, Prayagraj, Kanpur Central, Kolkata, Agra, Anand Vihar Terminal, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Gwalior and Dadar.
Northern Railway is scheduled to operate services including trains between Prayagraj Junction and Shakurbasti, Kanpur Central and New Delhi, Kanpur Central and Anand Vihar Terminal, and Agra Cantt and Palwal. The Agra Cantt–Palwal service, numbered 01941 and 01942 in the two directions, is listed for daily operation from 1 October to 31 October. The Kanpur Central–New Delhi service, numbered 02455 and 02456, is scheduled to run on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 2 October to 30 November.
Western Railway’s listed services include routes from Prayagraj and Subedarganj to Udhna, Sabarmati, Dadar, Bandra Terminus, Indore and Veraval. Eastern Railway will operate additional connections between Agra Cantt and Kolkata, Kanpur Central and Kolkata, and Veerangana Lakshmibai Jhansi and Asansol. Other planned services include Prayagraj–Yasvantpur, Kanpur Central–Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal Bengaluru, Kanpur Central–Madurai and Kanpur Central–Guwahati.
The schedule also includes longer-distance connections. Southern Railway’s list includes a Kanpur Central–Madurai service with eight trips in one direction and a Prayagraj Junction–Kanniyakumari service with two trips. South Western Railway has listed trains between Prayagraj and Hubballi, Subedarganj and Yasvantpur, and Kanpur Central and Bengaluru. North East Frontier Railway has included a Kanpur Central–Guwahati service with nine trips in each direction.
Railway authorities are monitoring passenger demand, booking patterns and waiting-list data, according to the report. Additional special trains may be introduced if demand increases. Extra commercial and Railway Protection Force staff are also planned at stations to manage crowds, while cleaning arrangements are being given additional attention.
Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedule issued by the relevant railway zone before booking, since operating days and service periods vary by route. The listed services may also have different booking windows, stopping patterns and availability from regular trains.
