Holi Special Train Howrah-New Jalpaiguri-Howrah
Holi Special Train Howrah-New Jalpaiguri-Howrah
Howrah-New Jalpaiguri-Howrah
EASTERN RAILWAY TO RUN HOLI SPECIAL TRAIN FOR NEW JALPAIGURI
To clear the expected rush of passengers during ensuing Dolyatra / Holi – 2025, 01 pair of Special will run between Howrah & New Jalpaiguri.
Train No. 02307 Howrah-New Jalpaiguri special will leave Howrah on 16.03.2025 (Wednesday) at 23:55 hrs. to reach New Jalpaiguri at 10:10 hrs. on the next day
Train No. 02308 New Jalpaiguri-Howrah special will leave New Jalpaiguri on 17.03.2025 (Thursday) at 12:50 hrs. to reach Howrah at 23:05 hrs. on the same day.
The trains will stop at Barddhaman, Rampurhat, Malda Town, Barsoi and Kishanganj stations enroute in both direction.
Booking of tickets for 02307 Howrah – New Jalpaiguri Special will be available on & from 07.03.2025 (Monday) through PRS & Internet. The train will have Air Conditioned and sleeper class accommodations. Both the trains will run with special charge in addition to normal mail/express fare. Concessional booking will not be allowed. Tatkal quota will not be available.
Here’s the latest verified info on the Holi Special train service between Howrah and New Jalpaiguri (NJP), which serves the Kolkata‑North Bengal travel demand during Holi 2025:
Contents
🚄 Holi Special: Howrah ↔ New Jalpaiguri
✅ Train No. 03027 (One‑way, reserved)
- Howrah → New Jalpaiguri (03027): Departed Howrah at ~23:55 on Wednesdays from March 12 through March 19, 2025, arriving NJP next morning at around 10:45 AM
- This route is marked as a Special Fare AC Superfast Holi Special, offering AC, sleeper, etc.
🔄 Return/Homogeneous Service
- The reverse service 03028 (NJP → Howrah) operated on Thursdays from March 13 to March 20, 2025, complementing the weekly itinerary
🗓️ Railways Announced Service
- Eastern Railway officially listed Howrah–New Jalpaiguri as one of six Holi special routes by press release on March 4, 2025, confirming the dedicated holiday trains for those dates
📋 Summary Table
| Train No. | Direction | Dates (2025) | Departure – Arrival | Classes Offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03027 | Howrah → New Jalpaiguri | Mar 12, 19 (Wednesdays) | Dep 23:55 → Arr next day ~10:45 (NJP) | AC Chair/Sleeper/2A/3A/general (Special fare) |
| 03028 | New Jalpaiguri → Howrah | Mar 13, 20 (Thursdays) | Reverse direction, morning departure/latest similar timing | similar configuration |
⚠️ What to Keep in Mind
- Low operational priority: These special trains (beginning with “0”) are often delayed by 6–14 hours or more, as widely reported by travelers on Reddit:
“Festival special train hamesha late hi chalti hai… train was 8 hours late”
- Limited frequency: Only ran one round (two one‑way trips) in March 2025, so availability was tight and majority of demand served through other regular or special routes.
- Ticket rush: In early March, Tatkal and general quotas booked out in minutes, leaving many passengers stranded or on waitlists
🧭 Planning Ahead – Holi 2026
- As of now, no Holi 2026 specials are publicly announced for Howrah–NJP beyond 2025.
- Expect similar specials to follow mid‑March 2026 pattern, likely announced in January–February 2026, under Eastern Railway banners.
- For future reference, you may watch official channels like the Eastern Railway noticeboard or IRCTC updates.
✅ Next Steps
If you’re planning a journey on this route around Holi or later:
- I can help check regular express services like Vande Bharat (22301/02), Shatabdi (12041/42), and weekly AC/Sleeper specials.
- Assist with seat availability/fare classes, or alternate travel options if Holi specials are not running.
- Let me know if you’d like to explore lodging or transit options in NJP or Kolkata around festival time.
Just say the word!