Sitamarhi: In a welcome move aimed at easing travel during the summer holiday rush, Indian Railways has announced a Summer Special train between Delhi and Sitamarhi in Bihar, offering unreserved travel for passengers struggling to secure seats during peak season.
Starting April 22, the train will run twice a week from Anand Vihar Terminus to Sitamarhi, providing critical relief to students, migrant workers, and families journeying from Delhi-NCR to their hometowns in Bihar. Operated under train number 04098, the service will depart every Tuesday and Friday at 5:00am, reaching Sitamarhi at 2:30pm the following day. The return leg, train number 04097, will run every Wednesday and Saturday from April 23, departing Sitamarhi at 3:45am and arriving in Delhi at 1:30pm the next day.
The route spans key cities across eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, including Govindpuri, Prayagraj Junction, Varanasi, Ghazipur City, Ballia, Chhapra, Sonpur, Hajipur, and Muzaffarpur.
A notable feature of this service is its inclusion of 10 general second-class coaches—allowing passengers to board without prior reservation—alongside seven sleeper coaches and two SLR (seating-cum-luggage rake) coaches. The move is expected to greatly benefit last-minute travellers and those unable to afford reserved tickets.
Running through to July 11 (from Delhi) and July 12 (from Sitamarhi), the Summer Special aims to reduce pressure on existing services and provide a more accessible travel option during one of the busiest periods on the Indian rail calendar.
