Diwali and Puja Special Train
For More Information Click the Below Link
- Northern Railway Festival Special Trains Full List
- Eastern Railway Festival Special Trains Full List
- Western Railway Festival Special Trains Full List
- Central Railway Festival Special Trains Full List
- South Western Railway Festival Special Trains Full List
- East Central Railway Festival Special Trains Full List
- East Coast Railway (ECoR) Festival Special Trains Full List
- North Eastern Railway Festival Special Train Full List
- North Central Railway Festival Special Train Full List
- South Eastern Railway Festival Special Train Full List
- Southern Railway Festival Special Train Full List
- South Central Railway Festival Special Train Full List
Here’s the latest comprehensive update on Diwali & Puja Special Trains operated by Indian Railways during the festive season:
Contents
🎉 1. Overview: Festival Special Trains (Diwali, Chhath, Durga Puja)
- Indian Railways typically launches special trains ahead of major festivals like Diwali, Chhath Puja, and Durga Puja to manage the surge in demand. These services operate on key routes connecting metro hubs to eastern and northern India
- In 2024, nearly 7,000 special train trips were operated to facilitate Diwali and Chhath travel, moving ~200,000 extra passengers daily.
🚄 2. Zonal-Level Deployments & Routes
🔹 Western Railway (WR)
- Operated 200 special trains in 2025 for festive demand, including 40 trains managed by Mumbai Division. Most headed to destinations in UP, Bihar, WB, and Odisha.
🔹 Central Railway (CR)
- Launched 24 special trains between Panvel and Nanded to decongest routes during festivals. Some services ran bi-weekly between October–November 2025.
🔹 South East Central Railway (SECR)
- Scheduled 6 special trains (Oct–Nov 2025) covering Durga Puja, Diwali, and Chhath demand (~6,000 trips)
🔹 Eastern Zone & Other Regions
- East Coast Railway (ECoR) operated 27 train pairs (1,134 trips) connecting Bhubaneswar, Puri, Cuttack, Sambalpur, and others to northern/central destinations.
⏰ 3. Frequency, Reservations & Duration
- Most special trains operate for 4–6 weeks across the festival window, often starting in late October and running till early/mid November.
- To accommodate demand, the Advance Reservation Period (ARP) was reduced from 120 to 60 days in 2025. A similar timeline is expected for 2025.
📊 4. Key Routes & Service Details
| Zone / Route | Number of Trains | Operational Period | Routes Covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Railway | ~200 specials | Oct–Nov 2025 | Mumbai Division → UP/Bihar/West Bengal |
| Central Railway (Panvel–Nanded) | 24 specials | Oct–Nov 2025 | Panvel ↔ Hazur Sahib Nanded |
| SECR | 6 specials | Oct–Nov 2025 | Gondia, Chhapra, Patna, etc. |
| Eastern / East Coast Zones | 27 pairs (~1,100 trips) | Oct–Nov 2025 | Bhubaneswar, Puri ↔ Patna, Kolkata, etc. |
❗ 5. Passenger Notes & Cautions
- According to traveller reports, special trains frequently face delays, often due to network congestion and signal issues.
- It’s common to encounter rushed crowd situations at originating stations like Surat or Udhna.
📰 6. Early 2025 Updates
- As of this season, Western and Central Railways are expected to continue running festival special trains during Diwali 2025.
- Maharashtra’s gauge conversion (Nagpur–Umred) line is set to open before Diwali 2025, which should improve connectivity in the region.
✅ Summary
- Festival specials are a recurring feature during Diwali, Chhath Puja, and Durga Puja seasons.
- In recent years, IR operates hundreds of special trains zone-wise, collectively adding up to thousands of service trips.
- Bookings open 60 days ahead, with priority to high‑demand corridors.
- These trains reduce waitlists and add capacity, but are prone to congestion and travel delays.
- Expect similar deployment in October–November 2025.
🔍 Next Steps
Would you like assistance with:
- Upcoming 2025 Diwali train special schedules for specific routes (e.g. Mumbai ↔ Bihar)?
- Checking seat availability or waitlist status for those trains?
- Help locating these specials via NTES or Rail Madad?
Let me know—happy to help next steps!