Mumbai: With the onset of the festival season, Western Railway has announced the launch of two long-distance festive special trains connecting Gujarat and Maharashtra with eastern India. The services are aimed at easing passenger congestion during Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath Puja when demand for travel typically outpaces supply across India’s busiest corridors.
The newly introduced trains will operate on special fares between Udhna–Malda Town and Vadodara-Kolkata, offering much-needed relief to travellers during the high-demand window from late September to November 2025. Rail officials confirmed that the decision is part of a wider strategy to cater to surging passenger volumes while ensuring affordable access to long-haul connectivity across states.The Udhna–Malda Town weekly special will begin operations on 29 September, departing every Monday afternoon and reaching Malda by Wednesday. Its return leg from Malda will operate every Saturday, completing the journey back to Udhna early on Monday. The service will run until 10 November and is designed to cater to the large migrant workforce and families travelling eastwards for the festive season.
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In parallel, the Vadodara–Kolkata weekly special will commence on 2 October, departing Vadodara every Thursday and arriving in Kolkata on Saturday. The return journey from Kolkata will begin every Tuesday, reaching Vadodara the following evening. This service will continue until 27 November and includes air-conditioned three-tier, sleeper, and general coaches to accommodate varying passenger segments.Both trains will traverse significant railway junctions such as Bhusaval, Itarsi, Prayagraj, Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and Gaya, reinforcing connectivity across multiple states. Officials explained that the halts have been chosen strategically to maximise coverage for passengers across central and eastern India.
