Central Railway Announces 418 Special Trains for Diwali and Chhath Rush, Mumbai Gets More Services

Central Railway has announced 418 special train services to handle the expected increase in passenger demand during the upcoming Puja, Diwali and Chhath festival season. The additional trains will connect Mumbai, Pune and other cities in Maharashtra with several major destinations across India, including Gorakhpur, Banaras, Chennai, Bengaluru, Latur, Nagpur, Kolhapur, Mau, Ghazipur and Thiruvananthapuram.

The special services are designed to provide more travel options for passengers returning home or visiting family during the busy festive period. Railway authorities have also planned a mix of reserved and general coaches on several routes to accommodate different passenger needs.

CSMT-Gorakhpur Route Gets Major Increase

The Central Railway schedule includes 64 special services between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Gorakhpur. These trains will operate from October 16 through November 18, providing additional connectivity between Mumbai and eastern Uttar Pradesh during the festival season.

Another 64 special services will run between Hadapsar and Gorakhpur from October 16 to November 17. These services are expected to support the large number of passengers traveling toward North India for Diwali and Chhath celebrations.

More Special Trains to Banaras, Mau and Ghazipur

Passengers traveling to other parts of North India will also get additional options. Central Railway has planned special services between Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) and Mau, along with services connecting LTT and Banaras.

Additional trains will also operate between Hadapsar and Ghazipur City. A special service between Nagpur and Hadapsar has also been included in the festive travel plan.

These services are expected to make travel more convenient for passengers heading to Uttar Pradesh and other northern destinations during the holiday period.

Extra Connectivity to South India and Maharashtra Cities

The festive timetable also includes special trains connecting Mumbai with Chennai and Bengaluru. Additional services are planned for Latur, Nagpur and Kolhapur, giving passengers more choices during the peak travel period.

A special train between Kolhapur and Kalaburagi will operate five days a week, except Fridays, during the festive season. The additional services are intended to improve connectivity between important cities and manage the seasonal increase in passenger traffic.

AC, Sleeper and General Coaches Available

Several special trains will operate with a combination of AC, sleeper and general second-class coaches. The CSMT-Gorakhpur special train, for example, will include four AC 3-tier coaches, 11 sleeper coaches and five general second-class coaches, along with brake vans.

The additional coach capacity is expected to help passengers who often face heavy demand for railway tickets during Diwali and Chhath. The special services will give travelers more opportunities to plan their journeys during one of the busiest periods on the railway network.

Special Train Bookings Begin September 27 and 28

Central Railway will open bookings for the first group of special trains on September 27. Reservations for the remaining services will begin on September 28.

Passengers can book reserved tickets through railway reservation centers and the IRCTC website. Those traveling on unreserved tickets can use the UTS system. The RailOne app is also available for passengers looking for digital railway services.

With 418 additional special train services planned across key routes, Central Railway is expanding capacity ahead of the Diwali and Chhath rush and providing passengers with more options to travel between Mumbai, Maharashtra and major cities across the country.