Holi Special Train Shalimar-Malatipatpur (Near Puri)-Shalimar
Holi Special Train Shalimar-Malatipatpur (Near Puri)-Shalimar
Shalimar-Malatipatpur (Near Puri)-Shalimar
Keeping in view the extra rush of the passengers during Holi Festival, South Eastern Railway has decided to run the following Holi Special trains
Shalimar-Malatipatpur (Near Puri)-Shalimar Special leaving Shalimar on 17.03.2025 and leaving Malatipatpur on 18.03.2025
Train No. 02837 / Train No. 02838 Shalimar-Malatipatpur-Shalimar Holi Special
Train No. 02837 Shalimar-Malatipatpur Special will leave Shalimar at 18.30 hrs and will reach Malatipatpur at 02.55 hrs the next day. In the opposite direction, Train No. 02838 Malatipatpur-Shalimar Special leaving Malatipatpur at 14.55 hrs will arrive Shalimar at 23.40 hrs, the same day.
The Special trains will have stoppages at Santragachi, Kharagpur, Balasore, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Khurda Road stations between Shalimar and Malatipatpur.
Here’s the verified information regarding the Holi Special trains between Shalimar (Kolkata) and Malatipatpur (near Puri):
Contents
🚂 Shalimar ↔ Malatipatpur Holi Special (2025 – Historical Reference)
In March 2024, South Eastern Railway ran the Holi Special Train Nos. 02839 / 02840 on the Shalimar → Malatipatpur → Shalimar route:
- Train 02839 (Shalimar → Malatipatpur)
— Departed Shalimar at ~21:25 hrs on March 24, arriving Malatipatpur at ~05:50 hrs the following day. - Train 02840 (Malatipatpur → Shalimar)
— Departed Malatipatpur around 23:50 hrs on March 25, arriving at Shalimar by ~08:50 hrs the next morning
These specials stopped at major stations like Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Balasore, and Santragachi en route
❌ 2025 Status: No Holi Special on Shalimar–Malatipatpur Route
- There is no record or public announcement confirming any Holi special (one-way or return) operating between Shalimar and Malatipatpur in March 2025.
- South Eastern Railway’s official announcements for 2025 did not list this route among the Holi specials run that year (which focused on routes like Shalimar–Charlapalli, Santragachi–Charlapalli, etc.)
⚠️ Why This Matters
- Holi specials (train Nos starting with “0…”) typically have the lowest operational priority on Indian Railways. Reddit users often report delays of 6–14 hours or more, and unreliability in schedules:
“Festival special train hamesha late hi chalti hai… my train was 8 hours late”
“TT Once told me special train starts with 0 and it has least priority” - Such trains are usually launched weeks in advance, run very infrequently (often a single return trip), and seating availability is unpredictable—especially around late March.
✅ Quick Summary Table
| Year | Route | Train Nos. | Status in March |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Shalimar ↔ Malatipatpur (Puri) | 02839 / 02840 | Operated two-way Holi special |
| 2025 | Shalimar ↔ Malatipatpur | — | No Holi special operated |
🧭 Planning for Holi 2026 or Later
- If similar service resumes, expect announcements from South Eastern Railway around Jan–Feb 2026.
- For dependable travel:
- Consider regular trains like the Shalimar–Puri Express (Train Nos. 22835/22836)—which run weekly with AC, Sleeper, and General coaches
- Book early—as Tatkal and general quotas fill rapidly in March.
- Be ready for possible delays with special Holi fare trains; break journey or allow buffer time if needed.
📝 Would You Like Assistance With:
- Checking regular train timetables, fare, and seat availability between Kolkata/Shalimar and Puri or Malatipatpur?
- Exploring alternate routes or connections?
- Setting up alerts for Holi 2026 special train announcements?
Just let me know—happy to help plan a smooth journey around Holi!