89 Special Trains: In a major relief for thousands of stranded passengers, Indian Railways on Saturday announced 89 special trains to be operated over
the next three days, following widespread travel disruptions caused by mass IndiGo flight cancellations. According to officials, the special trains, which will make more than 100 trips across all zones, were arranged in record time after assessing heavy passenger movement in key cities including New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Patna and Howrah. “The number of special trains and their trips might increase further depending on the traffic scenario,” said Dilip Kumar, Executive Director (Information & Publicity), Railway Board. According to him, all railway zones have been instructed to deploy maximum available rolling stock and manpower to safely manage the sudden surge in travellers.
Coordination with airports to assist stranded flyers
To ensure that affected passengers receive timely updates, railway divisions have begun spreading information at nearby airports, officials said. The South Eastern Railway has also informed the Airport Authority to display special train details for IndiGo flyers seeking alternative travel options.
Zone-wise breakdown of special train plans:
Here is a zone-wise summary of special train schedule:
Western Railway Special Trains
According to the government, seven special trains on special fares along routes such as:
- Mumbai Central–New Delhi
- Mumbai Central–Bhiwani
- Mumbai Central–Shakur Basti
- Bandra Terminus–Durgapura
- Valsad–Bilaspur
- Sabarmati–Delhi
- Sabarmati–Delhi Sarai Rohilla
South Central Railway Special Trains
The zone announced four special trains to accommodate the spike in passenger demand following the IndiGo cancellations.
Central Railway & Northern Railway
- Central Railway will run 14 special trains as planned
- Northern Railway: 10 special trains scheduled
| Category | Details |
| Total special trains announced | 89 trains |
| Total trips planned | 100+ trips over three days |
| Key cities analysed | New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Patna, Howrah |
| Zones running special trains | All railway zones; major contributions from Western, South Central, Central, Northern Railways |
| Western Railway | 7 special trains (Mumbai–New Delhi, Mumbai–Bhiwani, Mumbai–Shakur Basti, Bandra T. – Durgapura, Valsad–Bilaspur, Sabarmati–Delhi, Sabarmati–Delhi Sarai Rohilla) |
| South Central Railway | 4 special trains |
| Central Railway | 14 special trains planned |
| Northern Railway | 10 special trains planned |
| Passenger assistance | Information circulated at airports; Airport Authority informed in some zones |
| Possibility of more trains | Yes, depending on traffic and passenger demand |
Other railway zones have also issued detailed notifications listing timings, stops and operational guidelines.
