Diwali-Chhath Puja Trains: Securing train tickets during the festive season is extremely difficult. Seats fill up rapidly the moment booking windows open; failing to book tickets well in advance makes obtaining a confirmed seat later very challenging. Tickets for trains bound for Bihar are particularly difficult to get during Diwali and Chhath Puja. To address these issues, the Railways has announced 13 pairs of special trains.
This offers a significant opportunity for those wishing to travel home for the festivals. Bookings for these 13 pairs of special trains began on September 19. These trains will operate on various routes, providing relief to passengers travelling from states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.
Many trains bound for Bihar already have long waiting lists. In view of the surging passenger rush, the Railways has decided to run special and ‘clone’ trains.
Clone trains for Tejas Rajdhani and Sampoorna Kranti
The Railways will operate clone trains for the Tejas Rajdhani and Sampoorna Kranti services. These special trains will run between Delhi and Patna from November 1 to November 15 and between Patna and Delhi from November 16 to November 25.
The Tejas Rajdhani clone train will consist entirely of AC coaches, whereas the Sampoorna Kranti clone train will feature both sleeper and AC coaches.
What will be the fare for the clone trains?
The fare for First AC will range from approximately ₹5,300 to ₹5,900, while Second AC fares will be between ₹3,300 and ₹3,800. Fares for Third AC will range from about ₹2,300 to ₹2,700.
Around 50 trains to run between Delhi and Bihar
Approximately 50 trains will operate daily between Delhi and Bihar from October 20 to November 30. Additionally, around 400 special trains will run to Bihar from Delhi and other major cities across the country between October 1 and November 30.
Schedule of these special trains:
Chandigarh-Patna: Thursday
Patna-Chandigarh: Friday
Firozpur Cantt-Patna: Tuesday
Patna-Firozpur Cantt: Wednesday
Anand Vihar-Patliputra: Daily
Anand Vihar-Jogbani: Saturday
Jogbani-Anand Vihar: Sunday
Anand Vihar-Muzaffarpur: Tuesday and Friday
Muzaffarpur-Anand Vihar: Wednesday and Saturday
Delhi-Sitamarhi: Thursday
Sitamarhi-Delhi: Saturday
Anand Vihar-Laukaha Bazar: Daily
Laukaha Bazar-Anand Vihar: Daily
Rishikesh-Muzaffarpur: Sunday
Muzaffarpur-Rishikesh: Monday
These special trains will run until November:
02200/02199 Banda Terminus–Virangana Lakshmibai Jhansi: Train 02200 will run until November 28, 2026, and train 02199 until November 26, 2026.
04140/04139 Dadar–Prayagraj: Train 04140 will run until November 29, 2026, and train 04139 until November 27, 2026.
04176/04175 Dadar–Subedarganj: Service 04176 will run until November 24, 2026, and service 04175 until November 22, 2026.
01908/01907 Udhna–Agra Cantt: Train 01908 will run until November 25, 2026, and train 01907 until November 24, 2026.
04106/04105 Udhna–Prayagraj: Service 04106 will run until November 30, 2026, and service 04105 until November 29, 2026. 04156/04155 Udhna–Subedarganj: Train 04156 will run every Tuesday and Friday from October 20 to November 27.
Meanwhile, train 04155 will run on Mondays and Thursdays from October 19 to November 26.
04120/04119 Valsad–Subedarganj: Service 04120 will operate until November 29, and service 04119 until November 28, 2026.