Pune's Summer Network
To address the increased demand during the summer holidays, Central Railway is deploying six distinct sets of special train services originating from Pune.
These services aim to connect passengers to various popular destinations across the country. For instance, the Pune-Danapur route will operate daily, facilitating constant movement between these two cities from April 1st to July 15th for one direction and April 3rd to July 17th for the return. Similarly, the Pune-Gorakhpur route will run daily throughout April, with return services extending into early May. Travelers seeking faster journeys can opt for the Pune-Nagpur Weekly Superfast Special, available every Wednesday and Thursday from mid-April to mid-July. An AC variant of the Pune-Nagpur special is also available, running every Tuesday and Wednesday during the same period. For shorter operational windows, a Pune-Ghazipur City Bi-Weekly Special is scheduled for late April. Finally, a daily Pune-Kolhapur Special is established to cater to those traveling between these two cities, running from mid-April to mid-July.
Mumbai's Extensive Routes
Mumbai, a major travel hub, is also seeing significant additions to its railway services with several high-frequency summer specials departing from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Dadar. For southern destinations, a CSMT-Madgaon Weekly Special will operate from mid-April to early June every Thursday. Those heading north can utilize the CSMT-Nagpur Bi-Weekly Special, running on Sundays and Tuesdays from mid-April to mid-July. A daily CSMT-Gorakhpur Special is also in service, transitioning from 'Trains on Demand' to a full Summer Special from April 1st to April 30th. From Dadar, travelers can access services like the Dadar-Gorakhpur Special, operating four days a week from mid-April to mid-July, and the Dadar-Ballia Tri-Weekly Special, running three days a week from mid-April to mid-July. Additionally, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) offers its own set of specials, including a LTT-Samastipur Weekly AC Special, LTT-Banaras Bi-Weekly Special, LTT-Madgaon Weekly Special, LTT-Danapur Daily Special, and an LTT-Solapur Weekly Special, providing a wide array of options across different regions from mid-April through July.
Regional Connectivity Boost
Beyond the major inter-state routes, Central Railway is also bolstering regional connectivity with a variety of shorter-distance and unreserved special services. These are designed to manage local travel demands and facilitate easier movement within certain zones. For instance, the Daund-Kalaburagi route will see unreserved specials operating. Hadapsar and Harangul will be connected by daily specials. Solapur will benefit from DEMU specials to Daund and additional specials to Kalaburagi. Further south, Solapur will also have weekly specials to Anakapalle. In other regions, Badnera and Nashik Road will be linked by MEMU specials, and Nagpur will have bi-weekly specials connecting to Madgaon, supplementing the longer-distance services. Passengers using these regional services can book tickets via the UTS system, with fares comparable to Superfast/Mail/Express trains. It's always advisable for travelers to verify exact timings and stops beforehand.
