Bihar: Indian Railways Launches 23 Special Trains for Diwali and Chhath Festivities

Patna: In anticipation of the upcoming Durga Puja, Diwali, and Chhath festivals, Indian Railways has announced the launch of 23 special trains to cater to the increased demand for travel during October and November. Out of these, 15 trains will run from Hyderabad/Secunderabad to Patna/Danapur, with additional services planned to meet the rising passenger demand.

The frequency of trains running between Secunderabad-Danapur and Hyderabad/Secunderabad-Raxaul will also be increased. Eight special trains will operate on the Delhi-Patna route, ensuring enhanced connectivity for festival-goers.

Railway officials have confirmed that a pair of special trains will also be introduced, connecting Muzaffarpur, Danapur, and Patna Junction with Secunderabad. These trains will continue operations until January 2025, providing extended travel options during the festive season and beyond.

In addition to train services, the Transport Corporation will introduce two new buses from Delhi to Patna, passing through Agra and Lucknow. One will be a seater, and the other a sleeper bus. Passengers from other cities will also benefit from bus services, with advance bookings opening on October 1.

However, passengers traveling by train from Delhi to Patna during the Diwali-Chhath period are facing challenges, as seats are already fully booked on several trains. Many trains, such as Dibrugarh Rajdhani, Sampoorna Kranti Express, Vikramshila Express, North East Express, Brahmaputra Mail, and Seemanchal Express, have no available seats between October 25 and 28. In some cases, even waiting lists are exhausted.

East Central Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO), Saraswati Chandra, said that the number of special trains between Patna and Delhi may be increased to accommodate the passenger surge. The operation period for existing special trains has also been extended.

Special trains will begin running between Rajendranagar and Gaya from today. The 03313 Rajendranagar-Gaya Express Special will operate five days a week (except Sundays and Wednesdays) from September 21 to October 31. The return service, 03314 Gaya-Rajendranagar Express Special, will run five days a week (except Mondays and Thursdays) from September 22 to November 1.

Additionally, the Rajgir-Tilaiya Express Special (03322) will run daily from September 21 to December 31. The Rajgir-Kiul-Rajgir Special (03266/03265) will also continue daily service until December 31.

For those traveling for the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) exams, Indian Railways has introduced an exam special train between Ranchi and Patna. The 08626 Ranchi-Patna Exam Special will depart Ranchi on September 21 at 9:40 PM, arriving in Patna the next morning. Similarly, return services from Patna to Ranchi will run from September 22 to 23, with timings adjusted to suit exam schedules. An additional Exam Special train will also run between Ranchi and Bhagalpur.

Despite its higher fare, the Vande Bharat Express remains in high demand across Bihar. Nine Vande Bharat trains have been introduced in the state within a year, and seats on these trains are consistently booked. The chair car fare is 50-60% higher than a regular 3-tier AC seat, yet trains are fully booked. Executive class seats, which cost only Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 less than a flight ticket, are also in high demand, with 80% occupancy even before the train departs.

Passengers can still find confirmed tickets on special trains such as Ahmedabad-Patna, Patna-Ahmedabad, and Sabarmati-Patna, among others. However, the rush during the festive season continues to place strain on the travel infrastructure, urging passengers to book their seats well in advance.