Patna: East Central Railway (ECR) has announced the operation of 58 Holi special trains from major stations across Bihar to ease passenger congestion during and after the festival.
The additional services will connect key stations including Patna, Danapur, Darbhanga, Barauni, Raxaul, Muzaffarpur, Saharsa, Dhanbad and Madhubani with destinations such as New Delhi, Anand Vihar, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Amritsar and Bhubaneswar.
Railway officials said the special trains are being introduced to manage the seasonal surge in passenger traffic as large numbers of migrant workers and students return to their workplaces after celebrating Holi at home.
Among the prominent services are:
- Train No. 03257 Danapur–Anand Vihar Special on March 8
- Train No. 03239 Patna–New Delhi Special running daily from March 5 to March 15
- Train No. 03251 Danapur–SMVB Bengaluru Special operating daily until March 31
- Train No. 02563 Barauni–New Delhi Special running daily from March 1 to March 30
- Train No. 02569 Darbhanga–New Delhi Special operating daily from March 1 to March 30
Special trains have also been announced for Mumbai (Lokmanya Tilak Terminus), Pune, Ahmedabad, Puri, Howrah, Chennai, Ernakulam, Hubli, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Amritsar and other major cities.
Several services will run on specific days of the week through March, while others are scheduled for select dates around the Holi period. Routes include connections from smaller stations such as Sheikhpura, Hasanpur Road, Mansi, Supaul, Sitamarhi, Jaynagar and Jhanjharpur, reflecting the high demand from migrant-heavy districts.
Railway authorities said the Holi special trains will operate until late March, with some services extended until early April. Passengers have been advised to check official railway schedules for exact departure dates and timings before planning travel.
Officials added that the move is intended to provide relief to passengers and ensure smoother travel during one of the busiest periods of the year for rail traffic in Bihar.
