Indian Railways Festival Special Trains 2026: What's New?

Diwali falls on November 8, 2026, and festive travel bookings are already underway. Railway zones have announced Indian Railways festival special trains 2026 for Puja, Diwali and Chhath, with routes linking Mumbai, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and several other states. Here’s what passengers should know before planning their journey.

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What’s The Update?
Booking Basics
Conclusion
Frequently Asked Questions: Indian Railways Festival Special Trains 2026
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What’s The Update?

Train Platform Image Credit: Venkat Sudheer Reddy/Unsplash — Railway Platform
Image Credit: Venkat Sudheer Reddy/Unsplash

Northern Railway and Beyond

The Indian Railways festival special trains 2026 include a broad set of extra services. North Central Railway has announced 1,053 “Trains on Demand” trips across 13 railway zones, scheduled between October 1 and November 30. These services will run at different frequencies, based on passenger demand.

Northern Railway’s listed trains include Varanasi-Delhi, scheduled for 35 trips in each direction, and Kanpur-Anand Vihar Terminal, with services running through October and November. Other routes connect Prayagraj and Subedarganj with Delhi-area stations. Exact running days vary, so passengers should check the train number and date before booking.

Also Read: Beautiful Train Journeys in India: Bollywood Movie Views

Central Railway’s 418 Services

Central Railway has announced 418 special services for the Puja, Diwali and Chhath season. They will run from stations including CSMT, LTT, Pune, Hadapsar and Nagpur, connecting passengers to destinations such as Gorakhpur, Chennai, Bengaluru, Latur, Nagpur, Kolhapur, Madgaon and Thiruvananthapuram. Bookings for the festival special trains during Diwali season opened in two batches, on September 27 and 28.

Separately, Solapur Division has announced 102 festive trips, including Mumbai-Chennai, Mumbai-Latur and Kolhapur-Kalaburagi services.

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Booking Basics

For regular reservations, the advance booking window is 60 days before the journey date, excluding the travel day. So Diwali train tickets 2026 booking dates depend on the specific date of travel. Fares and conditions can differ by service. Check the train’s official notice for fare details, timings and stops. For travellers looking to explore India by train, all-inclusive India tour packages offer a convenient way to plan the journey, with travel and other essentials organised in one package.

Conclusion

A festival special trains can be a useful alternative if a regular service is full. Check the official schedule before travel, and book Diwali train tickets 2026 as soon as the relevant booking window opens.

Frequently Asked Questions: Indian Railways Festival Special Trains 2026

Is there any concession for senior citizens in train ticket booking?
Indian Railways does not provide any travel discounts for senior citizens. Fare concessions were stopped during the pandemic and have not been brought back.

What age proof documents are accepted for children under 5 on trains?
You can use any government document like an Aadhaar card, Birth Certificate, or Passport to prove your child’s age.

Do we need to take ticket for child in train?
Children under 5 travel for free if they share a seat or berth with an adult. You only need to buy a ticket if you want a separate seat or berth for them.

How to check special train for Diwali?
You can find these trains by looking for “Special” or “Festival Special” tags on the official IRCTC website or the NTES app.

When can I book trains for Diwali 2026?
You can book your tickets right now. Since Diwali is in November 2026, the 60-day booking window for those dates is already open.

How many days before we can book a special train ticket?
You can book tickets exactly 60 days in advance for both regular and special trains. Indian Railways recently reduced the booking window from 120 days down to 60 days.

What are the IRCTC special train lists for 2026?
Indian Railways runs hundreds of festive trains like 04131 (Kanpur to Bengaluru) and 04209 (Varanasi to Delhi). The full active list is updated daily directly on the IRCTC booking portal.

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Indian Railways Festival Special Trains 2026: What’s New?

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What’s The Update?

Northern Railway and Beyond

Also Read: Beautiful Train Journeys in India: Bollywood Movie Views

Central Railway’s 418 Services

Booking Basics

Conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions: Indian Railways Festival Special Trains 2026

Keep Exploring:

Akbar Travels Services

Best Flight Deals

Domestic Flights

International Flights

Best Hotel Deals

Apply Visa Online

International Tour Packages

Domestic Tour Packages

Packages by Themes

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