With Holi just around the corner, Indian Railways has announced a massive boost to its operations in an effort to accommodate passengers travelling around the festival. The national transporter is set to operate a record 1,410 to 1,500 special train trips this year depending upon passenger demand, marking a significant 23% increase over the 1,144 trips that took place in 2025.
The initiative aims to manage the heavy passenger inflow toward North and East Indian states, particularly Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, ensuring smoother connectivity and reducing the waitlist burden on regular long-distance trains.
Key Routes and Train Schedules
The Northern Railway has specifically outlined several “Reserved Special” trains connecting New Delhi and Lucknow to major hubs. Key additional trips to be offered by the northern railways has been listed as follows:
1. Delhi – Uttar Pradesh – Bihar Connect
Lucknow – New Delhi (04203/04204): Departs Lucknow at 8:05 AM on Feb 23 and March 2. The return service leaves New Delhi at 8:20 PM on the same days.
Varanasi – New Delhi Daily (04209/04210): From Feb 24 to March 6, departing Varanasi at 10:30 PM. The return daily service starts Feb 25 from Delhi at 7:25 PM.
New Delhi – Barauni Special (04054/04053): Daily service from Feb 20 to March 6, departing Delhi at 7:50 PM.
Anand Vihar – Laukaha Bazar (04014/04013): Departs Anand Vihar at 3:40 PM (Feb 27 – March 6).
2. Pilgrimage Routes (Katra & Ayodhya)
New Delhi – Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra (04081/04082): Departs New Delhi at 11:45 PM (Feb 21 – March 8).
Varanasi – Katra (04603/04604): Departs Varanasi at 5:00 AM on select dates (Feb 24, 28, March 4, 8) via Lucknow and Moradabad.
Ayodhya Cantt – Anand Vihar (04213/04214): Operates on select dates (Feb 24, 26, March 1, 3, 5), departing Ayodhya at 6:20 PM.
3. Punjab & Haryana Links
Chandigarh – Gorakhpur (04514/04513): Departs Chandigarh at 11:35 PM on Feb 26 and March 5.
Varanasi – Chandigarh (04227/04228): Connecting major stations in UP and Haryana on select dates in late February and early March.
Enhanced Passenger Amenities
In a press release, published last week Railway officials have confirmed that these trains would feature a mix of AC, Sleeper, and General coaches to accommodate passengers with differing budgets. Additionally, the Railways has strengthened crowd management at major junctions like Gorakhpur, New Delhi, and Patna, including the activation of passenger holding areas.
Passengers are advised to book tickets via the IRCTC website or app as soon as possible as demand for tickets is expected to surge near the festival.