Railway authorities have introduced a set of festive trains from Lucknow this season to ease the mounting passenger rush during Dussehra, Diwali and Chhath. The move comes as waiting lists on existing services surge each year, prompting the need for additional capacity to accommodate intercity and long-distance travellers.
Officials confirmed that two major routes will be catered through these services one linking Gomti Nagar to Mumbai’s Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, and the other connecting Gomti Nagar with Mahbubnagar in Telangana. Both routes are scheduled to operate until early November, directly targeting the peak festival migration period.
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The service to Mahbubnagar will operate every Sunday from Lucknow and every Monday on its return leg, with halts at key junctions including Barabanki, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj and Jabalpur before reaching the southern districts. Railway officials stated that this linkage has been designed to serve not only festive traffic but also migrant workers travelling back to their hometowns during this period.The Mumbai-bound special will run each Saturday from Gomti Nagar and return on Sundays from Lokmanya Tilak Terminus. It will pass through Kanpur, Jhansi, Bhopal and Nashik Road, offering a direct corridor to western India at a time when ticket availability is usually scarce.
The coaches have been structured to balance affordability and capacity, with a mix of sleeper, general and air-conditioned options. The Mumbai service includes eight sleeper and multiple air-conditioned three-tier coaches, while the Mahbubnagar service has been given additional three-tier economy capacity to match migrant demand.Transport experts noted that such festival season interventions are now a predictable necessity, as urban migration continues to drive long-distance passenger flows. They argue that the timely announcement of routes and schedules allows passengers to plan ahead, avoiding reliance on last-minute, high-cost alternatives in road or air travel.
Officials also highlighted that the festive trains are aligned with the national agenda of enhancing accessibility and inclusivity in rail travel. With a focus on affordable fares and widespread coverage, the initiative demonstrates how targeted scheduling can address socio-economic mobility without adding significant strain on the regular network.
As passenger bookings opened this week, industry observers expect high occupancy levels within hours, given the scale of festival-related travel from Lucknow and neighbouring districts. The success of this festive timetable, they said, will provide useful lessons for future peak-season planning across other urban centres in India.While the arrangement is temporary, it underscores the broader challenge of creating sustainable, all-weather transport solutions for India’s growing urban-rural linkages. For now, however, passengers from Lucknow heading to Mumbai or Telangana during the upcoming festivities can expect smoother journeys and fewer ticketing hurdles.
