Indian Railways 2026 Festive Special Trains: 102 Services, Routes and How to Check
The festive season brings a sharp increase in railway travel as passengers head to their hometowns and popular destinations for Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath Puja. To manage the expected rush, Indian Railways has announced additional special train services on several important routes for the 2026 festive season.
A detailed announcement lists 102 special train services covering routes across different parts of India. These services connect major cities and railway stations with destinations in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Passengers planning their festival journey should check the train number, route, operating date, frequency and ticket availability before making a reservation. Since railway zones can announce additional services separately, the list of available special trains may continue to change as the festive season approaches.
Why Are Special Trains Being Introduced?
Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath are among the busiest travel periods of the year. A large number of passengers travel between cities and their hometowns during these festivals.
Special trains are introduced to provide additional travel options on busy routes and help accommodate the seasonal increase in demand. In addition to special services, Railways is also adding coaches to selected regular trains to increase passenger capacity.
List of Special Trains for Upcoming Festivals in 2026
| Train No. | Train Name | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01905 | CNB ASV SPL | Kanpur Central | Asarva Jn |
| 01907 | AGC UDN H SPL | Agra Cantt | Udhna Jn |
| 01908 | UDN AGC SPL | Udhna Jn | Agra Cantt |
| 01909 | ASV AGC SPL | Asarva Jn | Agra Cantt |
| 02200 | BDTS VGLJ SPL | Bandra Terminus | V Lakshmibai Jhansi |
| 02199 | VGLJ BDTS SF SPL | V Lakshmibai Jhansi | Bandra Terminus |
| 02878 | ANVT RNC SPL | Anand Vihar Terminal | Ranchi |
| 04105 | PRYJ UDN SPL | Prayagraj Jn | Udhna Jn |
| 04106 | UDN PRYJ SPL | Udhna Jn | Prayagraj Jn |
| 04119 | SFG BL SPL | Subedarganj | Valsad |
| 04120 | BL SFG SPL EXP | Valsad | Subedarganj |
| 04139 | PRYJ DDR SPL | Prayagraj Jn | Dadar |
| 04140 | DDR PRYJ SF SPL | Dadar | Prayagraj Jn |
| 04155 | SFG UDN SPL | Subedarganj | Udhna Jn |
| 04156 | UDN SFG SPL | Udhna Jn | Subedarganj |
| 04169 | SFG INDB SPL | Subedarganj | Indore Jn BG |
The above special services are scheduled to operate between their respective source and destination stations. The operating dates and number of trips may vary for each service. Passengers can check the Indian Railway station details for the latest information and announcements about special trains for their journey.
Important Routes for Passengers Travelling to North India
Several festival services are particularly relevant for passengers travelling towards Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar and other parts of North India.
For example, the announced services include trains connecting Kanpur Central with Guwahati, Anand Vihar Terminal with Jogbani, Ranchi with Anand Vihar, Katihar with Amritsar and several services from Prayagraj and Subedarganj towards western and central India.
Passengers should search using both the train number and route because special services can have different operating dates in the UP and DOWN directions.
Special Trains for West Bengal, Bihar and Eastern India
Festival travel is expected to be particularly busy on routes connecting major cities with Bihar and West Bengal.
Services announced for the festive period include routes such as Kanpur Central to Kolkata, Agra Cantt to Kolkata, Howrah to Raxaul and other connections towards eastern India.
Eastern Railway has also announced separate festival services for the Puja season, including services towards North Bengal and Assam. This shows why passengers should check the latest announcements from the relevant railway zone instead of relying on one fixed list.
Additional Services for South and Northeast India
The festive arrangements also cover several long-distance routes connecting southern and northeastern cities.
Among the announced services are Kanpur Central to SMVT Bengaluru, Kanpur Central to Madurai, Ahmedabad to Mangaluru Junction, Visakhapatnam to SMVT Bengaluru, Hyderabad to Mangaluru Central and Kanpur Central to Guwahati.
Passengers travelling between northern, eastern and southern parts of the country should therefore check special train options before finalising their travel plans.
Not Every Entry Means a Completely New Train
Passengers should note that the published list contains different types of additional railway services.
Some entries are additional trips of special trains, while some services are extensions of existing trains. In certain cases, Railways has also increased the number of coaches in regular trains to provide more seats.
For example, the detailed list includes additional trips for services such as Kanpur Central to Guwahati and Dibrugarh to Kolkata. It also includes coach augmentation for selected regular services.
Therefore, it is more accurate to refer to the announcement as 102 special train services rather than simply saying that Indian Railways has introduced 102 completely new trains.
More Festival Trains May Be Announced
The 102-service announcement should not be treated as the final list for the entire 2026 festive season.
Railway zones are making additional announcements based on passenger demand and operational requirements. North Central Railway, for instance, has separately announced more than 1,000 special train trips for Durga Puja, Diwali and Chhath travel. Other zones have also announced their own festival services.
This means passengers may find additional trains after the initial announcement. It is advisable to check the latest train information before booking.
How to Check Upcoming Special Trains
Passengers searching for a special train for Durga Puja, Diwali or Chhath can follow these simple steps:
- Check the journey date and destination.
- Search for trains between the boarding and destination stations.
- Look for trains marked as special or festival services.
- Note the train number and operating date.
- Check the departure and arrival timings.
- Check the available classes and ticket availability.
- Confirm the latest schedule before booking.
- Book the ticket as early as possible when reservations are available.
Passengers should also check whether the train operates on their exact travel date because many festival specials run only on selected days.
Plan Your Festival Journey Early
Festival travel can become difficult when seats are limited, particularly on popular routes connecting major cities with Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and other high-demand destinations.
Planning the journey early gives passengers more time to compare available trains, check different travel dates and choose a suitable route. It is also useful to check the return journey at the same time because return services may operate on different dates from the onward journey.
The operating dates, frequency and number of trips vary by service. Passengers should check the latest schedule, route and ticket availability for their chosen train before booking.
Check the Latest Train Information Before Travelling
Railway schedules can change because of operational requirements, additional announcements or changes made by individual railway zones. Passengers should therefore verify the latest information before starting their journey.
The 2026 festive train plan includes services announced for different periods from September to December, while additional festival trains may also be introduced later depending on demand.
For passengers travelling during the festive season, checking the train schedule in advance can make it easier to plan the journey and avoid last-minute difficulties.
Once the travel plan is confirmed, passengers can also arrange meals in advance and order food in train during their journey for a more convenient travel experience.
