Indian Railways has announced more than 100 festival special train services for Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath in 2026. The extra services will run between September and December 2026 on some of the busiest long-distance routes.
These special trains cover Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana. Regular trains are also getting extra coaches to bring down long waiting lists.
Indian Railways Festival Special Trains List 2026
Ministry of Railways has planned 102 special train services for the festive season. The list includes both UP and DOWN services, so passengers can travel in either direction on the same route.
Some services run daily, some run twice or thrice a week, and a few run only on selected dates. The travel window starts from early September and goes on till the end of November or early December 2026, depending on the route.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| List Name | Indian Railways Festival Special Trains 2026 |
| Announced By | Ministry of Railways, Government of India |
| Number of Services | More than 100 (102 services listed) |
| Festivals Covered | Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath |
| Travel Window | September to December 2026 |
| Booking | IRCTC official website and app |
| Official Website | indianrail.gov.in |
Full List of Festival Special Trains 2026
The table below lists the train number, route and running period for each special service. Check the exact days and timings on the official website before booking, as some services run only on selected dates.
| Train No | Route (From to To) | Trips / Period |
| 01905 | Kanpur Central to Asarva | 9 trips, October 5 to November 30 |
| 01906 | Asarva to Kanpur Central | 9 trips, October 6 to December 1 |
| 01907 | Agra Cantt to Udhna | 8 trips, October 6 to November 24 |
| 01908 | Udhna to Agra Cantt | 8 trips, October 7 to November 25 |
| 01909 | Asarva to Agra Cantt | 8 trips, October 6 to November 24 |
| 01910 | Agra Cantt to Asarva | 8 trips, October 5 to November 23 |
| 02199 | VGL Jhansi to Bandra Terminus | 9 trips, October 1 to November 26 |
| 02200 | Bandra Terminus to VGL Jhansi | 9 trips, October 3 to November 28 |
| 04105 | Prayagraj to Udhna | 18 trips, twice a week, October 1 to November 29 |
| 04106 | Udhna to Prayagraj | 18 trips, twice a week, October 2 to November 30 |
| 04179 | Prayagraj to Sabarmati | 17 trips, twice a week, October 3 to November 28 |
| 04180 | Sabarmati to Prayagraj | 17 trips, twice a week, October 4 to November 29 |
| 04119 | Subedarganj to Valsad | 9 trips, October 3 to November 28 |
| 04120 | Valsad to Subedarganj | 9 trips, October 4 to November 29 |
| 04139 | Prayagraj to Dadar | 9 trips, October 2 to November 27 |
| 04140 | Dadar to Prayagraj | 9 trips, October 4 to November 29 |
| 04155 | Subedarganj to Udhna | 12 trips, twice a week, October 19 to November 26 |
| 04156 | Udhna to Subedarganj | 12 trips, twice a week, October 20 to November 27 |
| 04175 | Subedarganj to Dadar | 8 trips, October 4 to November 22 |
| 04176 | Dadar to Subedarganj | 8 trips, October 6 to November 24 |
| 04177 | Subedarganj to Valsad | 8 trips, October 6 to November 24 |
| 04178 | Valsad to Subedarganj | 8 trips, October 7 to November 25 |
| 04169 | Subedarganj to Indore | 17 trips, twice a week, October 2 to November 27 |
| 04170 | Indore to Subedarganj | 17 trips, twice a week, October 3 to November 28 |
| 04173 | Prayagraj to Veraval | 9 trips, October 1 to November 26 |
| 04174 | Veraval to Prayagraj | 9 trips, October 2 to November 27 |
| 04103 | Subedarganj to Panvel | 5 additional trips, October 21 to November 18 |
| 04104 | Panvel to Subedarganj | 5 additional trips, October 22 to November 19 |
| 02877 | Ranchi to Anand Vihar | 9 additional trips, October 3 to November 28 |
| 02878 | Anand Vihar to Ranchi | 9 additional trips, October 4 to November 29 |
| 04157 | Kanpur Central to Kolkata | 8 trips, October 6 to November 24 |
| 04158 | Kolkata to Kanpur Central | 8 trips, October 7 to November 25 |
| 01911 | Agra Cantt to Kolkata | 9 trips, October 1 to November 26 |
| 01912 | Kolkata to Agra Cantt | 9 trips, October 2 to November 27 |
| 04185 | Veerangana Lakshmibai Jhansi to Asansol | 16 trips, October 7 to November 29 |
| 04186 | Asansol to Veerangana Lakshmibai Jhansi | 16 trips, October 8 to November 30 |
| 05183 | Azamgarh to Bandra Terminus | 9 additional trips, October 3 to November 28 |
| 05184 | Bandra Terminus to Azamgarh | 9 additional trips, October 5 to November 30 |
| 09601 | Madar Junction to Patna Junction | 9 additional trips, October 1 to November 26 |
| 09602 | Patna Junction to Madar Junction | 9 additional trips, October 2 to November 27 |
| 02417 | Prayagraj to Shakur Basti | 34 trips, daily till mid-October, then 4 days a week |
| 02418 | Shakur Basti to Prayagraj | 34 trips, daily till mid-October, then 4 days a week |
| 04163 | Narayanpur Bazar to Shakur Basti | 27 trips, 3 days a week, October to December |
| 04164 | Shakur Basti to Narayanpur Bazar | 27 trips, 3 days a week, October to December |
| 03041 | Howrah to Raxaul | 7 trips, October 15 to November 26 |
| 03042 | Raxaul to Howrah | 7 trips, October 16 to November 27 |
| 03043 | Howrah to Raxaul | 7 trips, October 17 to November 28 |
| 03044 | Raxaul to Howrah | 7 trips, October 18 to November 29 |
| 03135 | Sealdah to Patna | 7 trips, October 13 to November 24 |
| 03136 | Patna to Sealdah | 7 trips, October 13 to November 24 |
| 03133 | Sealdah to Sitamarhi | 7 trips, October 16 to November 27 |
| 03134 | Sitamarhi to Sealdah | 7 trips, October 17 to November 28 |
| 03131 | Sealdah to Gorakhpur | 14 trips, October 13 to November 26 |
| 03132 | Gorakhpur to Sealdah | 14 trips, October 14 to November 27 |
| 03185 | Kolkata to Madhubani | 7 trips, October 13 to November 24 |
| 03186 | Madhubani to Kolkata | 7 trips, October 14 to November 25 |
| 03187 | Kolkata to Madhubani | 7 trips, October 16 to November 27 |
| 03188 | Madhubani to Kolkata | 7 trips, October 17 to November 28 |
| 03511 | Asansol to Patna | 7 trips, October 18 to November 29 |
| 03512 | Patna to Asansol | 7 trips, October 18 to November 29 |
| 03527 | Asansol to Gorakhpur | 7 trips, October 16 to November 27 |
| 03528 | Gorakhpur to Asansol | 7 trips, October 17 to November 28 |
| 03465 | Malda Town to Digha | 7 trips, October 17 to November 28 |
| 03466 | Digha to Malda Town | 7 trips, October 18 to November 29 |
| 03005 | Howrah to Lumding | 7 trips, October 16 to November 27 |
| 03006 | Lumding to Howrah | 7 trips, October 17 to November 28 |
| 03129 | Kolkata to New Jalpaiguri | 14 trips, weekends, October 17 to November 29 |
| 03130 | New Jalpaiguri to Kolkata | 14 trips, weekends, October 18 to November 30 |
| 05060 | Lalkuan to Kolkata | 8 trips, October 8 to November 26 |
| 05059 | Kolkata to Lalkuan | 8 trips, October 10 to November 28 |
| 08581 | Visakhapatnam to SMVT Bengaluru | 9 additional trips, October 2 to November 27 |
| 08582 | SMVT Bengaluru to Visakhapatnam | 9 additional trips, October 3 to November 28 |
| 08045 | Shalimar to Charlapalli | 9 additional trips, October 2 to November 27 |
| 08046 | Charlapalli to Shalimar | 9 additional trips, October 3 to November 28 |
| 07035 | Secunderabad to Sirpur Kaghaznagar | Festival rush special |
| 07036 | Sirpur Kaghaznagar to Hyderabad Deccan | Festival rush special |
| 04008 | Anand Vihar Terminal to Jogbani | 5 trips, October 10 to November 7 |
| 04007 | Jogbani to Anand Vihar Terminal | 5 trips, October 11 to November 8 |
| 08047 | Santragachi to Naharlagun | 3 additional trips, September 11, 18 and 25 |
| 08048 | Naharlagun to Santragachi | 3 additional trips, September 12, 19 and 26 |
| 09189 | Mumbai Central to Katihar | 7 additional trips, September to November |
| 09190 | Katihar to Mumbai Central | 7 additional trips, September to November |
| 04127 | Kanpur Central to Guwahati | 14 additional trips, September 10 to December 10 |
| 04128 | Guwahati to Kanpur Central | 14 additional trips, September 11 to December 11 |
| 05736 | Katihar to Amritsar | 12 additional trips, September 9 to November 25 |
| 05735 | Amritsar to Katihar | 12 additional trips, September 11 to November 27 |
| 05932 | Dibrugarh to Kolkata | 13 additional trips, September 5 to November 28 |
| 05931 | Kolkata to Dibrugarh | 13 additional trips, September 7 to November 30 |
| 03407 | Bhagalpur to Katihar | 94 extended trips, daily, August 29 to November 30 |
| 03408 | Katihar to Bhagalpur | 94 extended trips, daily, August 29 to November 30 |
| 06028 | Podanur to Dr MGR Chennai Central | From September 11 |
| 06027 | Dr MGR Chennai Central to Podanur | From September 11 |
| 07097 | Hyderabad to Mangaluru Central | 12 additional trips, September 9 to November 25 |
| 07098 | Mangaluru Central to Hyderabad | 12 additional trips, September 10 to November 26 |
| 04131 | Kanpur Central to SMVT Bengaluru | 7 trips, every Sunday, October 4 to November 15 |
| 04132 | SMVT Bengaluru to Kanpur Central | 7 trips, every Wednesday, October 7 to November 18 |
| 08311 | Sambalpur to Podanur | 12 trips, every Wednesday, September 9 to November 25 |
| 08312 | Podanur to Sambalpur | 12 trips, every Friday, September 11 to November 27 |
| 01925 | Kanpur Central to Madurai | 13 trips, every Wednesday, September 2 to November 25 |
| 01926 | Madurai to Kanpur Central | 13 trips, every Saturday, September 5 to November 28 |
| 09424 | Ahmedabad to Mangaluru Junction | 13 trips, every Friday, September 4 to November 27 |
| 09423 | Mangaluru Junction to Ahmedabad | 13 trips, every Saturday, September 5 to November 28 |
New Train Routes Covered
The festive plan connects major metro hubs with home states across the country. Bihar and West Bengal have received wide coverage, along with long-distance services linking the North East to other regions.
- Howrah to Raxaul, Sealdah to Patna, Sealdah to Sitamarhi, Kolkata to Madhubani, Asansol to Patna and Asansol to Gorakhpur cover the Bihar and West Bengal rush.
- Howrah to Lumding, Kanpur Central to Guwahati, Santragachi to Naharlagun and Dibrugarh to Kolkata connect the North East with the rest of India.
- Kanpur Central to SMVT Bengaluru, Kanpur Central to Madurai, Visakhapatnam to SMVT Bengaluru and Shalimar to Charlapalli serve long-distance passengers across states.
- Udhna, Asarva, Valsad, Dadar and Bandra Terminus feature in the western plan, giving extra options for workers and students travelling home.
How to Check Special Train Schedule and Book Tickets
Booking works the same way as any other train. Follow these steps to check the schedule and reserve a seat.
STEP 1 - Go to the official website at indianrail.gov.in and open the Train Schedule section to confirm the days and timings of your special train.
STEP 2 - Log in to your IRCTC account on the official website or app, then enter the from and to stations along with your travel date.
STEP 3 - Pick the special train number from the list, choose your class and check seat availability before you book.
STEP 4 - Complete the payment and save your e-ticket. Carry a valid photo ID during the journey.
Additional Trains and IRCTC Updates
Along with the special trains, Indian Railways is adding extra coaches to regular services to increase capacity and reduce waiting lists. IRCTC has also upgraded its Next Generation e-Ticketing platform with stronger anti-bot checks and better server capacity, so genuine passengers get a fair booking experience.
Passengers planning festive travel can also check the cancelled train list before leaving for the station. For route details of premium services, see the Vande Bharat Express route list. If you want to plan meals on board, the IRCTC food price list is useful, and the Tatkal waiting list cancellation charges guide explains refund rules.
Timings and running dates can change, so always confirm the final schedule on the official website before you travel.