Indian Railways is running a series of unreserved special trains to manage the massive passenger rush towards Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. This move aims to provide relief to travellers during the peak post-festival season. Here’s what you need to know.
Why These Special Trains Are Running Now
To
clear the extraordinary rush of passengers following the major festive period of Diwali and Chhath Puja, Indian Railways has introduced numerous special services. Chhath Puja, which concluded in mid-November 2026, sees millions of people from Bihar and Eastern UP travel home from major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata. These special trains, many of which are unreserved, are designed to ease the return journey for these passengers, reducing overcrowding on regularly scheduled services and providing much-needed additional capacity. Various railway zones, including Eastern, Northern, and Central Railways, have announced these services to ensure smoother and more convenient travel.
Understanding Unreserved Train Travel
Many of the newly announced services are 'unreserved' special trains. This means passengers do not need to book a ticket in advance. You can purchase a general second-class (GS) ticket from the ticket counter at the railway station just before your journey. These trains consist predominantly of general second-class coaches and two SLRD (Seating cum Luggage Rake/Van for Divyangjan) coaches. This 'buy and board' system is intended to cater to last-minute travel plans and accommodate those who were unable to secure a confirmed seat on reserved trains, which often have long waiting lists during this period.
Key Routes from Kolkata and Sealdah
Eastern Railway has been particularly active, announcing several unreserved specials from West Bengal to Bihar and UP. Key services include trains from Sealdah and Kolkata to destinations like Jaynagar, Ballia, and Gorakhpur. For instance, the 03137 Sealdah-Jaynagar special and the 03141 Kolkata-Gorakhpur special are scheduled to operate on specific dates in mid-November. Additionally, five pairs of unreserved specials connect Howrah and Sealdah with Patna, Muzaffarpur, and Jaynagar. These include two separate pairs of services between Howrah and Patna (03033/03034 and 03035/03036) to handle the heavy traffic to the Bihar capital. Passengers are advised to check the exact dates and timings as these trains often make only a limited number of trips.
Services from Delhi and Northern India
Northern Railway is also running a significant number of special trains from Delhi and other northern cities to highndemand destinations in UP and Bihar. These services connect Anand Vihar, New Delhi, and Delhi Junction to cities like Patna, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, and Varanasi. While many of these are reserved special trains, they include general coaches to accommodate unreserved passengers. Notably, a special Vande Bharat Express service is also running between New Delhi and Patna to provide a faster travel option during the festive season. From the Punjab region, special trains are operating from Chandigarh and Ludhiana towards Patna, Barauni, Saharsa, and Darbhanga.
How to Plan Your Journey
For unreserved trains, tickets can be purchased directly at the station counters. For special reserved services, bookings are available on the official IRCTC portal and at reservation counters. It is crucial for passengers to verify the final train schedule, including departure and arrival times, before heading to the station. The National Train Enquiry System (NTES) website and mobile app are the most reliable sources for real-time information on train status and schedules. Given that these are special services designed to manage heavy crowds, passengers should anticipate crowded stations and trains and plan their travel accordingly, allowing for extra time at the station.
