Indian Railways Announces 186 Special Holi Trains

New Delhi, Feb 20: As Holi draws near, travellers across the country are gearing up for one of the busiest festive seasons of the year. Anticipating a major surge in passenger traffic, the Central Railway has rolled out an extensive plan to ensure smoother journeys for those heading home to celebrate. A total of 186 special trains will take to the tracks, connecting Mumbai, Pune and other key cities to major destinations across India. With bookings already open online and at reservation counters, passengers now have a wider range of travel options during the seasonal rush.

Central Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Dr Swapnil Nila, confirmed that bookings beyond the Advance Reservation Period (ARP) will continue to open on the respective future ARP dates. Passengers opting for unreserved coaches can also book tickets using the UTS system or the RailOne mobile application, ensuring easier access for last-minute travellers.

Special Festive Trains Connecting Key Cities

To accommodate the seasonal rush, Central Railway will operate special services between Mumbai and major destinations including Nagpur, Sawantwadi Road, Banaras, Gorakhpur, Samastipur and Danapur. These corridors typically witness extremely high demand during Holi, making the additional services crucial for smoother long-distance travel.

The network has also been expanded to include additional trains between Pune and Nagpur, as well as between Hazrat Nizamuddin and Danapur. Together, these routes cover some of the busiest passenger sectors, providing multiple options for festive commuters travelling across states.

The special trains are designed to cover essential junctions and high-traffic stops to ensure maximum convenience. With unreserved ticketing available through UTS and RailOne, passengers travelling shorter distances or booking on the same day gain added flexibility. These routes span regions with traditionally heavy Holi movement, promising easier access to hometowns and major regional centres.

Out of the total 186 trains announced, 94 have been designated as Holi Special Trains while 92 will operate as Other Special Services. This includes a mix of overnight journeys, same-day services and staggered schedules designed to distribute passenger flow more evenly during peak travel dates.

Since bookings opened on February 18, commuters have been able to plan their travel well in advance. With trains running across multiple days and time slots, passengers now have greater flexibility to choose journeys that best suit their festive plans.