By early October, the smell of chai and diesel already hangs over the big stations. Families drag heavy trunks, children wave tickets in the air, and a long line curls around the inquiry counter. The festival rush has begun, and Indian Railways is preparing for it in full swing.

To help people reach home for Diwali and Chhath Puja, the ministry has rolled out its biggest festive plan yet - 763 Special Train for Diwali and Chhath Puja, making about 10,782 trips across the country. The idea is simple: no one should be left behind this season.

A Record Run for Indian Railways

Officials at Rail Bhavan said the services will run from early October to mid-November. “We want every traveller to reach home without stress,” a senior officer explained. The crowd waiting nearby clapped; someone joked, “Bas ticket mil jaye!” and everyone laughed.

Most of these Special Trains link the metros - Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Chennai with towns in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, where Chhath Puja crowds swell the most. Northern, Eastern, and Central Railways will handle the busiest corridors.

Scenes from the Stations

Step into any junction this week and you’ll see it: bags piled like small hills, voices bouncing off tin roofs. At Delhi Junction, a chai seller named Rakesh wipes his forehead. “Same story every year,” he says, pouring another cup. “People just want to go home.”

A group of college students nearby scrolls through the IRCTC Ticket app. “Waitlist thirty-two,” one laughs. “Still better than nothing.” Around them, guards blow whistles, porters shout coach numbers, and another Special Train for Diwali rattles in. Steam, whistles, chatter - pure festival energy.

Routes and Zones

The new Special Trains will cover high-demand routes like Delhi–Patna, Mumbai–Gorakhpur, Kolkata–Lucknow, and Ahmedabad–Varanasi. Southern and Western zones are adding services toward Chennai, Hyderabad, and Pune to carry long-distance passengers heading home.

Porters weave through the crowd with luggage balanced high, shouting coach numbers over the din. Every Indian Railways special train now carries extra sleeper and AC coaches, but even then the waiting lists keep climbing.

Managing the Festive Rush

At Howrah station, a constable leans against a railing, watching families spread mats on the floor. “Crowds are heavy but mostly cheerful,” he says. “They know the festival’s close.”

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has placed extra staff at entry gates, while volunteers guide elderly passengers. Screens flash updates for every Diwali holiday special train; loudspeakers repeat “Yatri kripya savdhaan rahein” as kids dart through the crowd.

CCTV feeds and drone cameras watch over New Delhi, Howrah, Mumbai CST, and Patna Junction. “We’re doing everything we can for smooth travel,” another officer says, glancing at the packed platform.

Booking and IRCTC Ticket Tips

Railways officials urge passengers to plan early and stick to official channels. Bookings for each Special Train for Diwali and Chhath Puja are open on counters and the IRCTC Ticket website and app.

“We’ve been trying since morning,” says Nidhi, a commuter clutching her phone at Lucknow station. “Maybe tomorrow the tatkal will open up.” Hope - always part of the journey.

Those unable to find confirmed seats should check updated schedules; extra runs are often added when demand spikes for any Diwali holiday special train.

Why the Extra Trains Matter

Ask anyone in the queue and you’ll hear the same thing the relief of a confirmed ticket. For millions of migrant workers and students, these journeys are not optional. “We save all year for this trip,” says Meena Devi, waiting with her two children at Gorakhpur. “Chhath Puja is about family, not just ritual.”

Her train leaves in two hours, yet she’s smiling. “Once I’m home, the tiredness will disappear.” That is why Indian Railways runs hundreds of extra Special Train for Diwali and Chhath Puja services each year to make sure distance doesn’t steal the joy of homecoming.

The Numbers Behind the Operation

• Total Special Trains: 763
• Total Trips: 10,782
• Main Zones: Northern, Central, Eastern, Western, Southern
• Peak States: Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Delhi, Punjab
• Bookings: Counters & IRCTC Ticket portal

Each number hides a story - a father carrying sweets from Mumbai, a student heading back from Delhi, a grandmother packing diyas in newspaper. It’s the railways’ toughest assignment of the year: keeping time with the heartbeat of the country.

On the Ground: Hope and Homecoming

By late evening, fairy lights glow along the edges of the platform. A guard waves his green flag; somewhere in the distance, another whistle answers. The train jerks forward, then glides out, windows full of waving hands. The smell of incense mixes with diesel smoke. Someone laughs, someone wipes a tear.

Another Special Train for Diwali disappears down the track, carrying stories, songs, and the promise of reunion. For Indian Railways, it’s not just a schedule it’s India coming home.

Festive Travel Updates by The United Indian

To manage the Diwali and Chhath Puja rush, Indian Railways will run 763 Special Train for Diwali and Chhath Puja across key routes. The United Indian brings you the latest on schedules, zones, and stories from stations where India’s festive journey truly begins.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)

1. How many extra trains are running this Diwali?

Quite a few Indian Railways has rolled out around 763 Special Train for Diwali and Chhath Puja. Add up all their trips and it’s over ten thousand journeys. That’s a lot of seats, but they’ll vanish fast once bookings open.

2. When can people book tickets?

Bookings are open now on the IRCTC Ticket site and app, and at old-fashioned counters too. Most travellers say seats disappear within hours, so it’s better not to wait. If you see a place on a Diwali holiday special train, grab it, it won’t last.

3. Which routes are getting the biggest boost?

The rush is always eastward this time of year. Special Trains are running on the usual crowded lines - Delhi to Patna, Mumbai to Gorakhpur, Kolkata to Lucknow, Ahmedabad to Varanasi. Basically, anywhere families are heading home for Chhath Puja, you’ll hear the whistles.

4. What’s being done for safety and comfort?

Plenty. More RPF staff on platforms, help desks for seniors, quick-clean teams hopping between coaches. Every Indian Railways special train gets an extra sweep before leaving. It’s noisy and a bit chaotic, but that’s festival travel for you.

5. Why do these special trains matter so much?

Because they carry more than passengers, they carry homecomings. Every Special Train for Diwali and Chhath Puja is a small promise from Indian Railways that nobody should miss the light, the songs, or the first diya at home. That’s the whole point of running them.