Indian Railways Announces 100+ Special Trains for Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath 2026 For UP, Bihar, Assam & Other States

Indian Railways Special Trains for  Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath 2026: Indian Railways has announced 100+ special trains to manage the extra rushes of the passengers during the upcoming major festivals for  Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath in October- November 2026 for going to their hometown toward Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and toward South India.

These 100+ Special Trains which will run for Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath festive seasons in 2026 will connect the several important cities and railway stations across India, including Kanpur, Prayagraj, Patna, Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Assam and other destinations.

The additional services are also provided to passengers to travel safely and to manage the heavy rush and demand for train tickets during this festive period between October- November period.

In all these special trains. Indian railways have also arranged with adding extra coaches on selected trains specially the trains going toward the Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and North-East side like toward the Assam to increase the passengers capacity., so that they can reach to their home-town, and enjoys the festival with their family, and friend in  Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath in 2026.

All who so ever is going must check all the latest trains schedule, stoppage, ticket availability,and running dates before planning their journeys. 

Indian Railways Special Trains 2026: Key Highlights

Important: The list includes trains running in both directions, additional services, extended services and selected coach augmentations. Therefore, 102 entries do not necessarily mean 102 separate train pairs or entirely new trains.

Why Has Indian Railways Announced Special Trains?

In India,  Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath are among the major festivals which are celebrated all over India in all states, districts, and cities.

All the people whether they are working, or living outside of their hometown, or any students or are in college, or the preparing students, or for any contractual work, all people wants to go their hometown to  Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath festival, and enjoys and celebrate these festivals with their family, and friend.

So, there is a very heavy rush of passengers, and many travellers do not get the train tickets to go home. These rushes heavily rise toward going to their hometown  particularly on routes connecting major cities with Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and other states.

So to manage these rushes, and every passenger must get the trains tickets,  Indian Railways operates special trains and increases capacity on selected regular services. 

These arrangements give passengers additional options and may help reduce pressure on existing trains.

Indian Railways Festival Special Trains 2026: Route-Wise Details

The following are some important services from the supplied list of 102 train entries. Dates indicate the listed operating period; individual running days and availability should be checked before booking.

1. Trains Connecting Toward Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat

Several special trains connect important stations in Uttar Pradesh with destinations in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

These services provide additional travel options between northern India and destinations in western India. The Subedarganj–Panvel service is listed with 22 LHB coaches and five additional trips in each direction.

2. Trains Connecting Toward Bihar and West Bengal

Bihar and West Bengal are important destinations during Durga Puja and Chhath Puja. The supplied list includes several services connecting Kolkata and other stations in West Bengal with Patna, Raxaul, Sitamarhi, Gorakhpur and Madhubani.

These services can be useful for passengers travelling between eastern India and destinations in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. Passengers should verify the exact departure date because the two directions may operate on different days.

3. Special Trains Toward Delhi, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh

The list also includes services connecting Delhi with Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

The Anand Vihar Terminal–Jogbani special is listed with 20 coaches. Its route includes stations such as Ghaziabad, Moradabad, Bareilly, Gorakhpur, Chhapra, Hajipur, Barauni, Katihar, Purnea and Forbesganj.

The operating frequency of each service varies, so passengers should not assume that every train runs daily.

4. Trains Connecting Toward Assam and West Bengal

Additional services have also been listed for passengers travelling between northeastern India and other parts of the country.

The Kolkata–New Jalpaiguri service is listed for weekends, while the Dibrugarh–Kolkata service is listed with 22 coaches. The Lalkuan–Kolkata service includes several intermediate stops, including Naihati, Bandel, Barddhaman, Durgapur, Asansol, Chittaranjan, Madhupur and Jasidih.

5. Special Trains Connecting Southern and Eastern India

The list includes additional services linking southern Indian destinations with eastern and northern parts of the country.

The Shalimar–Charlapalli service is listed with 24 coaches, including AC, Sleeper and General classes. The Kanpur Central–SMVT Bengaluru service is listed with 23 coaches, including AC 2-Tier, AC 3-Tier, Sleeper and General classes.

These trains may offer additional options to people travelling over long distances during the festive period.

IRCTC Ticket Booking During the Festive Season

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) provides online ticket-booking facilities for railway passengers. During periods of heavy demand, passengers may experience high traffic on the booking website.

IRCTC has taken steps to improve its Next Generation e-Ticketing (NGeT) system. These measures include adding servers, upgrading hardware and software, optimising the booking system and introducing a redesigned user interface.

The reference also states that a beta version of the new booking interface was introduced on July 15, 2026. It allows passengers to view seat availability across different travel classes in a more organised format.

Passengers should use the official IRCTC website or authorised railway booking channels to check availability and book tickets. They should also confirm the applicable booking rules and reservation opening dates.

How to Check Special Train Timings and Ticket Availability

Passengers can follow these steps before planning their journey:

1. Visit the official IRCTC website or use its authorised booking platform.

2. Enter the departure station and destination station.

3. Select the intended date of travel.

4. Check the available trains, travel classes and seat availability.

5. Confirm the train number, departure time, stoppages and running days.

6. Complete the booking through an authorised channel.

Passengers can also consult the official Indian Railways enquiry services for updated train schedules and running status.

Important Things Passengers Should Remember

• Check the exact running date: A special train may operate only on selected days.

• Verify both directions: The UP and DOWN services may have different dates and schedules.

• Check seat availability: The announcement of a special train does not guarantee that seats are available.

• Confirm stoppages: Not every special train stops at every station along its route.

• Check for schedule changes: Railway timings and operating plans may be revised.

• Book through authorised channels: Use official railway and IRCTC services to avoid fraudulent booking websites.

Note: Before Planning your trip, make sure check all the trains schedule, tickets, timing, and running status,and stoppage from the official IRCTC website & App.