Patna: With the festival season rapidly approaching, Indian Railways has sanctioned the operation of 14 pairs of special trains to manage the expected passenger rush. These trains, designated as “Puja specials,” will run from various originating points in Bihar to major cities across the country, including Bengaluru, Howrah, and Lokmanya Tilak Terminal (Mumbai).
These additional services are scheduled to operate until the end of December to accommodate the high volume of travellers during the holidays. The new trains will operate on varying frequencies, with some running weekly and others twice a week.
Key Special Train Services
Below is the schedule for some of the key special trains confirmed for operation:
| Train Name | Train Numbers | Route Highlights | Operational Until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saharsa-Lokmanya Tilak Special | 05585/05586 | Connects Saharsa to Mumbai | November 30 |
| Dhanbad-Lokmanya Tilak Special | 03379/03380 | Connects Dhanbad to Mumbai | December 4 |
| Danapur-SMVT Bengaluru Special | 03241/03242 | Connects Danapur to Bengaluru | December 29 |
| Danapur-SMVT Bengaluru Special | 03247/03248 | Connects Danapur to Bengaluru | December 27 |
| Patna-Howrah Special | 02024/02023 | Connects Patna to Kolkata | November 16 |
| Danapur-Hadapsar (Pune) Special | 03213/03214 | Connects Danapur to Pune | December 1 |
| Raxaul-Lokmanya Tilak Special | 05557/05558 | Connects Raxaul to Mumbai | November 27 |
Vande Bharat Availability Update
In addition to the special trains, the Railways has provided an update on confirmed seat availability for various Vande Bharat Express services running through Bihar for the first half of October:
- New Jalpaiguri-Patna Vande Bharat: Seats are currently available on October 15, 16, 20, 22, and 25.
- Howrah-Patna Vande Bharat: Seats will be available starting from October 13th.
- Lucknow-Gomtinagar-Patna Vande Bharat: Seats will be available starting from October 12th.
- Tata-Patna Vande Bharat: Seats will be available starting from October 13th.
- Delhi-Patna Vande Bharat: Seats are currently reported as not available.
Passengers are advised to check the official railway website for detailed schedules, routes, and reservation status for these special trains and Vande Bharat services.
