Patna: The Railways has approved around 400 trips of special trains to Bihar during the Dussehra, Diwali and Chhath festival period, with services planned between October 1 and November 30.
The special trains will connect Bihar with more than 10 major cities, including Delhi, Chandigarh, Firozpur Cantt and Rishikesh. Routes serving Patna Junction, Patliputra Junction, Muzaffarpur and Jogbani are among those being prepared.
16 Special Trains In First Phase
The Railways has finalised schedules for 16 special trains in the first phase. The services will operate at different frequencies, including weekly, twice-weekly and daily trains, depending on the route.
The move is aimed at providing additional travel options as passenger demand rises ahead of the festive period.
Chandigarh, Firozpur Cantt Services To Patna
A special train between Chandigarh and Patna will operate on Thursdays from October 1 to November 26. The return service from Patna to Chandigarh will run on Fridays from October 2 to November 27.
The Firozpur Cantt-Patna special will operate on Tuesdays from October 6 to November 24, while the return service will run on Wednesdays from October 7 to November 25.
Anand Vihar Services To Jogbani And Muzaffarpur
An Anand Vihar-Jogbani special train will operate on Saturdays from October 10 to November 7. The return service will run on Sundays from October 11 to November 8.
Another special train will connect Anand Vihar and Muzaffarpur on Tuesdays and Fridays from October 13 to November 24. The return train will operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays from October 14 to November 25.
Delhi-Sitamarhi And Rishikesh-Muzaffarpur Trains
A Delhi-Sitamarhi special train will run on Thursdays from October 15 to November 19. The return service will operate on Saturdays from October 17 to November 21.
The Rishikesh-Muzaffarpur special will run on Sundays from October 4 to November 29, with the return service scheduled on Mondays from October 5 to November 30.
Daily Anand Vihar-Patliputra Service
A special train will operate daily between Anand Vihar and Patliputra from October 1 to November 29, providing an additional option for passengers travelling from Delhi to Bihar.
Daily services are also planned between Anand Vihar and Laukaha Bazar. The Anand Vihar-Laukaha Bazar service is scheduled from September 16 to November 29, with the return service running from September 17 to November 30.
Additional Coaches For Regular Trains
Alongside the special services, the Railways plans to attach one or two additional AC coaches to selected regular trains originating from or passing through Patna.
The additional coaches are intended to accommodate the expected increase in passenger numbers and provide more opportunities for passengers on waiting lists to secure confirmed berths.
Demand Rising Ahead Of Festivals
Passenger demand has already increased on several regular trains ahead of the festive season. Services including the Tejas Rajdhani, Sampoorna Kranti Express, North East Express, Vikramshila Express, Dibrugarh Rajdhani, Kolkata Rajdhani and Farakka Express are seeing strong demand.
The additional special services are expected to give passengers from Bihar and those living in Delhi and other states more options to travel home during Dussehra, Diwali and Chhath.
