Patna: In response to the anticipated surge in passenger traffic during the Holi festival, Indian Railways has announced a series of special train services across key routes connecting eastern and northern India. The initiative is aimed at easing congestion, improving accessibility and ensuring safer travel for passengers from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal and Odisha.
Among the services introduced is the 05060/05059 Lalkuan–Kolkata–Lalkuan Special, scheduled to run every Thursday from March 5 to March 26,2026. The train will depart Lalkuan at 1:35pm and arrive in Kolkata at 11:55pm the following day. The return journey will operate on Saturdays between March 7 and March 28, leaving Kolkata at 5am and reaching Lalkuan at 3:45pm the next day, with major halts including Gorakhpur, Siwan, Hajipur, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur and Barauni.
Railway authorities have also introduced the 05506/05505 Saharsa–Purnia Court–Saharsa Special, which will operate on selected dates between March 6 and March 15. Departing Saharsa at 1:20pm and arriving at Purnia Court at 3:30pm, the service will offer improved regional connectivity, with Madhapura, Murliganj and Banmankhi listed among its principal stops. Return services are scheduled between March 9 and March 17.
The 09803/09804 Sogaria–Danapur–Sogaria Special will operate during the festival period, departing Sogaria late on March 1 and arriving in Danapur the following morning. The return journey will begin on March 3, covering key stations such as Ara, Buxar, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Junction and Prayagraj Chheoki. Additional services include the 03035/03036 Dankuni–Patna Special running on February 27 and March 4, and the 05064/05063 Gomtinagar Malatipatpur Special, which will operate on scheduled dates from February 26 to March 26.
Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Saraswati Chandra said the additional services have been introduced to support passenger convenience and manage festival-related crowds. Authorities have urged travellers to verify updated schedules, stoppages and seat availability through official railway platforms before commencing their journeys.
