As Holi approaches, many people across the country are preparing to travel to their hometowns, making this one of the busiest travel periods of the year. To manage the expected rush, Central Railway has announced a large travel plan to help passengers reach their destinations more easily. A total of 186 special trains will run during this festive period, connecting cities like Mumbai, Pune and several other important locations with major destinations across India.

Booking options available for passengers

Ticket bookings are already open both online and at railway reservation counters, giving passengers more choices during the holiday rush.

According to Central Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Dr Swapnil Nila, bookings for trains beyond the Advance Reservation Period will continue to open on the relevant future dates. Passengers who want to travel in unreserved coaches can also buy tickets through the UTS system or the RailOne mobile app. This will help people who are planning last-minute trips.

Special trains on high-demand routes; check full list

To handle the extra crowd during Holi, special trains will run between Mumbai and several major destinations such as Nagpur, Sawantwadi Road, Banaras, Gorakhpur, Samastipur and Danapur. These routes usually see a large number of passengers during the festival, so the additional trains will make travel more convenient.

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More train services have also been added between Pune and Nagpur, and between Hazrat Nizamuddin and Danapur. These routes are among the busiest during festival travel, and the extra trains will give passengers more options to reach their destinations comfortably.

Below is the full list of 186 special trains-

CSMT – Nagpur – CSMT Bi-weekly Special Trains

Train No.RouteDeparture StationDeparture TimeArrival StationArrival TimeRunning DaysDates of OperationType of Service
02141CSMT → NagpurCSMT00:20 hrsNagpur15:10 hrs (same day)Sunday & Tuesday22.02.2026, 24.02.2026Special Train
02141CSMT → NagpurCSMT00:20 hrsNagpur15:10 hrs (same day)Sunday & Tuesday01.03.2026, 03.03.2026, 08.03.2026Holi Special
02142Nagpur → CSMTNagpur20:00 hrsCSMT13:30 hrs (next day)Sunday & Tuesday22.02.2026, 24.02.2026Special Train
02142Nagpur → CSMTNagpur20:00 hrsCSMT13:30 hrs (next day)Sunday & Tuesday01.03.2026, 03.03.2026, 08.03.2026Holi Special

CSMT – Sawantwadi Road – CSMT Weekly Special Trains

Train No.RouteDeparture StationDeparture TimeArrival StationArrival TimeRunning DayDates of OperationType of Service
01171CSMT → Sawantwadi RoadCSMT00:20 hrsSawantwadi Road12:30 hrs (same day)Thursday26.02.2026Special Train
01171CSMT → Sawantwadi RoadCSMT00:20 hrsSawantwadi Road12:30 hrs (same day)Thursday05.03.2026Holi Special
01172Sawantwadi Road → CSMTSawantwadi Road17:20 hrsCSMT03:45 hrs (next day)Thursday26.02.2026Special Train
01172Sawantwadi Road → CSMTSawantwadi Road17:20 hrsCSMT03:45 hrs (next day)Thursday05.03.2026Holi Special


CSMT Mumbai – Gorakhpur – CSMT Daily Special Trains

Train No.RouteDeparture StationDeparture TimeArrival StationArrival TimeFrequencyDates of OperationType of Service
01079CSMT → GorakhpurMumbai (CSMT)22:30 hrsGorakhpur10:00 hrs (third day)Daily21.02.2026 – 02.03.2026Special Train
01079CSMT → GorakhpurMumbai (CSMT)22:30 hrsGorakhpur10:00 hrs (third day)Daily01.03.2026 – 08.03.2026Holi Special
01080Gorakhpur → CSMTGorakhpur14:30 hrsMumbai (CSMT)00:40 hrs (third day)Daily23.02.2026 – 02.03.2026Special Train
01080Gorakhpur → CSMTGorakhpur14:30 hrsMumbai (CSMT)00:40 hrs (third day)Daily01.03.2026 – 10.03.2026Holi Special

LTT – Banaras – LTT Bi-weekly Special Trains

Train No.RouteDeparture StationDeparture TimeArrival StationArrival TimeRunning DaysDates of OperationType of Service
01073LTT → BanarasMumbai (LTT)12:15 hrsVaranasi (Banaras)01:10 hrs (third day)Wednesday & Thursday25.02.2026, 26.02.2026Special Train
01073LTT → BanarasMumbai (LTT)12:15 hrsVaranasi (Banaras)01:10 hrs (third day)Wednesday & Thursday04.03.2026, 05.03.2026Holi Special
01074Banaras → LTTVaranasi (Banaras)06:35 hrsMumbai (LTT)16:40 hrs (next day)Friday & Saturday27.02.2026, 28.02.2026Special Train
01074Banaras → LTTVaranasi (Banaras)06:35 hrsMumbai (LTT)16:40 hrs (next day)Friday & Saturday06.03.2026, 07.03.2026Holi Special

The special trains will stop at important junctions and busy stations so that more passengers can benefit from them. The availability of unreserved tickets through UTS and RailOne will also help those travelling shorter distances or booking tickets on the same day.

Out of the 186 trains announced, 94 are Holi Special Trains and 92 are listed as other special services. These include overnight journeys, same-day trips and different schedules to reduce crowding during peak travel days.

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Bookings for these trains started on February 18, allowing passengers to plan their trips in advance. With trains running on different dates and at various times, travellers now have more flexibility to choose the best option for their Holi travel.