No More Travel Worries This Holi: Indian Railways to Run 1,409 Special Trains

Patna: For travelers heading home during Holi, Indian Railways has announced a record deployment of 1,409 Holi special trains this year, ensuring smooth and hassle-free journeys. These trains will operate from March 1 to March 22, 2026, catering to the massive surge in passenger demand during the festival.

According to officials, East Central Railway (ECR) will play a key role, running 285 special trains from various stations. Public Relations Officer Saraswati Chandra said this is a significant increase compared to last year’s 1,144 special trains.

Train Distribution by Railway Zones

• Western Railway: 231 trains
• Central Railway: 209 trains
• South Central Railway: 160 trains
• Northern Railway: 108 trains
• North Western Railway: 71 trains
• North Central Railway: 66 trains
• North Eastern Railway: 62 trains
• East Coast Railway: 62 trains
• South Western Railway: 47 trains
• West Central Railway: 43 trains
• Southern Railway: 39 trains
• Konkan Railway: 9 trains
• North Frontier Railway: 2 trains
• South East Central Railway: 15 trains

Major Cities Served

According to ECR PRO Saraswati Chandra, the Holi special trains will connect major cities including Patna, Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Bengaluru, Howrah, and key cities in Uttar Pradesh, ensuring passengers can reach their homes without difficulty during the festival season.

Selected Holi Special Trains

• Sogariya–Danapur Special (09821/09822): Departs Sogariya (Kota) at 23:10 on February 28 and March 7, arriving in Danapur at 23:45 the next day. Returns from Danapur on March 2 and 9.
• Rani Kamalapati–Danapur Special (01667/01668): Departs from Bhopal’s Rani Kamalapati station at 14:25 on February 27 and March 2. Returns from Danapur on February 28 and March 3 at 11:15.
• Rani Kamalapati–Agartala Special (01665/01666): Starting March 5, runs every Thursday via Patliputra, Barauni, and Katihar to Agartala.
• Hapa–Naharlagun Special (09525): Departs from Hapa (Gujarat) every Wednesday from March 4, passing through Varanasi, Chapra, and Hajipur to reach Naharlagun.

With this massive fleet of special trains, Indian Railways ensures that Holi travelers across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and other states can reach their hometowns safely and on time.