Patna: As devotees concluded the Chhath Puja on Tuesday evening, offering their final arghya to the Sun, railway stations across Bihar transformed into a sea of passengers. With working professionals and migrant labourers returning to cities after the festival, the Indian Railways has announced 74 special trains departing from Patna and other major stations across the state from October 29 to ease the congestion.
The move comes amid packed regular trains and rapidly sold-out Tatkal tickets, reflecting the scale of post-Chhath homecomings. Long queues stretched from ticket counters to platforms at Patna Junction, Rajendra Nagar Terminal, Danapur, and Pataliputra stations.
74 special trains to manage festive rush
According to railway officials, five special trains will depart from Patna Junction, nine from Danapur, and one each from Rajendra Nagar Terminal and Pataliputra. These services will primarily connect passengers to cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai, Secunderabad, and Bhopal.
दिनाँक 29.10.2025 को पूर्व मध्य रेल के विभिन्न स्टेशनों तक पहुंचने वाली स्पेशल ट्रेनें । #PoojaSpecialTrains pic.twitter.com/X9DsEIJBVI
— East Central Railway (@ECRlyHJP) October 28, 2025
The Danapur division has also launched special trains to destinations such as Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Pune, Chhapra, Secunderabad, and Bengaluru. Additional temporary services are running from Patna to Thawe, Anand Vihar Terminal, Hazrat Nizamuddin, and Chalpalli. Of the total, 37 trains will operate in the return direction to bring passengers back home over the next four days.
Stations turn into seas of travellers
By Tuesday night, Patna’s major railway stations were swamped with passengers. As soon as the Chhath rituals ended, devotees flocked to the platforms, leaving regular services such as the Tejas, Sampoorna Kranti, Magadh Express, and Rajdhani Express without a single vacant seat.
Even at Rajendra Nagar Terminal, which many turned to as an alternative, the crowding remained intense. Extra RPF and TTE teams were deployed to control the situation and redirect ticketless passengers to special trains. Announcements continued late into the night as officials attempted to manage the swelling crowds.
Queues stretch from morning till night
From early Wednesday morning, long queues formed at reservation counters in Patna and Rajendra Nagar. Many devotees arrived straight from their homes after performing puja, hoping to secure last-minute seats. Online booking portals also saw heavy traffic, with waiting lists extending into the hundreds.
Railways have introduced additional coaches and special services under the Tatkal scheme, but tickets to major destinations such as Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune remain scarce. “Those who couldn’t get train tickets are now travelling by bus or private vehicles,” said a passenger waiting at Patna Junction.
छठ महापर्व के अवसर पर दानापुर स्टेशन पर यात्रियों की सुविधा हेतु होल्डिंग एरिया में बैठने, मोबाईल चार्जिंग पॉइंट व ट्रेन डिस्प्ले बोर्ड जैसी सुविधाएं उपलब्ध कराई गई है, एवं वॉर रूम के जरिए स्टेशन की निगरानी भी की जा रही है।@ECRlyHJP@RailMinIndia#FestivalSpecialArrangements pic.twitter.com/pjOvInp2YS
— DRM Danapur (@drmdnr) October 28, 2025
Security tightened across the Danapur division
To ensure smooth operations, senior railway officials have been deployed at key stations across the Danapur division. Additional RPF personnel have been stationed at Ara, Buxar, and other major junctions, while the sale of platform tickets has been restricted to limit congestion.
Railway authorities estimate that the rush will continue for at least a week, as migrant workers and students gradually return to their workplaces and universities.
Managing the post-festival exodus
The Patna–Delhi route remains the busiest, with waiting lists reaching up to 500. In response, the Railways is adding extra coaches to long-distance trains including the Tejas, Rajdhani, Sampark Kranti, and Magadh Express. Special trains have been prioritised on routes with heavy demand, particularly those heading to Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai.
Help desks and information counters have been established at major stations to assist passengers with updated schedules and platform information. Authorities have urged travellers to avoid ticketless travel, arrive early, and check official updates online or on station display boards.
