Easing the Annual Festive Rush
Every year, the months of October and November witness a massive surge in travel as millions of people journey to their hometowns to celebrate major festivals like Diwali and Chhath Puja with their families. This leads to overwhelming demand for train
tickets, with reservations on popular routes filling up minutes after they open. To address this predictable rush, Central Railway has rolled out a comprehensive plan involving 418 special train trips. These services are scheduled between October and November 2026, aiming to provide much-needed additional capacity and ensure smoother, more comfortable journeys for passengers. The trains will depart from key Mumbai stations like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT), as well as from Pune and Nagpur.
Connecting Mumbai to North India
A significant number of these special services are directed towards states in North India, which see the highest passenger traffic from Mumbai during the festive period. Uttar Pradesh is a major focus, with daily special trains connecting CSMT Mumbai and Gorakhpur, totalling 64 services. There will also be bi-weekly services from LTT to Mau and Banaras, and from Hadapsar to Ghazipur City, providing crucial links to various parts of the state. These routes will pass through major hubs like Kanpur, Lucknow, Prayagraj, and Varanasi, catering to a vast number of travellers. Additionally, special trains will connect to cities in Punjab and Bihar, including routes from Chandigarh and Firozpur to Patna, to accommodate residents living in different parts of the country.
Enhanced Services to South India
The festive plan also enhances connectivity to South India. Weekly AC special services will operate between CSMT Mumbai and Chennai Beach in Tamil Nadu. For those travelling to Karnataka, weekly AC specials will connect CSMT with SMVT Bengaluru. These trains will stop at important stations like Pune, Solapur, Hubballi, and Davangere. Kerala-bound passengers can avail themselves of 12 weekly special services between LTT and Thiruvananthapuram, which will cover key destinations along the Konkan coast, including Madgaon, Mangalore, Kozhikode, and Ernakulam. These services ensure that the festive travel needs for passengers heading south are also adequately met.
Intra-State and Regional Connectivity
Beyond long-distance routes, Central Railway is also bolstering services within Maharashtra and to neighbouring regions. Weekly superfast specials will run between CSMT and Nagpur, and CSMT and Kolhapur. A bi-weekly service connecting CSMT and Latur is also part of the schedule, running from mid-October to late November. Furthermore, to improve connectivity towards Goa, a popular holiday destination, 14 weekly special services are scheduled between LTT and Madgaon. These additional trains provide vital links between major commercial centers and regional towns, easing travel for work and family visits during the holiday season.
How to Book Your Tickets
Bookings for these special festival trains commenced on September 27th and 28th, 2026. Passengers can reserve their seats through the official IRCTC website (irctc.co.in), the IRCTC Rail Connect mobile app, and at all computerised Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters. It is important to note that these trains operate as 'Special Trains on Special Fare,' which means the ticket prices may be higher than on regular services. Given the extremely high demand, railway authorities have advised passengers to book their tickets well in advance and to travel only with confirmed reservations to avoid any inconvenience.
