Passengers traveling long distances by rail during the 2026 festive period will have more than 100 additional options, with the detailed schedule listing 102 train services. The program links destinations across India's north, east, west and south around Chhath Puja, Durga Puja and Diwali through several two-way corridors.
Extra capacity for the seasonal travel surge
Rail travel sees a steep seasonal increase around major festivals, so the added services are meant to widen passenger choices. A high volume of travelers is anticipated, and the plan places more capacity on heavily used long-distance routes instead of concentrating the expansion in one part of India.
The finalized schedule has 102 numbered services. Separate trains are provided for opposite directions on several city pairs, allowing passengers to arrange both the outward trip and the return journey within the festive window.
States and terminals included in the network
Passengers connected with Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, along with Assam, Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, are among those who can use the added services. The named terminals and destinations include Kolkata, Guwahati, Asarva, Udhna, Sabarmati, Valsad, Dadar, SMVT Bengaluru, Madurai and Bandra Terminus.
The route selection is particularly relevant to journeys between Uttar Pradesh and important hubs for jobs, study and commerce. Workers, students and other travelers can consider these trains while moving between large urban centres and their hometowns during the extended festival period.
Eastern India gets numerous Bihar and Bengal links
Coverage is especially broad for Bihar and West Bengal. The schedule lists Sealdah-Patna, Howrah-Raxaul, Kolkata-Madhubani, Sealdah-Sitamarhi, Asansol-Gorakhpur, Asansol-Patna and Kolkata-New Jalpaiguri.
These connections create several options across the eastern region and into Bihar. Because each direction has its own train number, passengers can distinguish the outward service from the return service when checking the calendar.
Long-distance corridors reach the North East
The plan also connects the North East to the rest of the country with multiple long-distance services. Kanpur Central-Guwahati, Howrah-Lumding, Dibrugarh-Kolkata and Santragachi-Naharlagun are included in the schedule.
These routes matter for journeys linking eastern India with northeastern destinations during the festival period. Their calendars are not identical: some operate on set weekdays across a span of weeks, while others are available only on particular dates from September through November.
Southern and western routes add more choices
Four southern corridors appear in the list: Kanpur Central-Madurai, Kanpur Central-SMVT Bengaluru, Shalimar-Charlapalli and Visakhapatnam-SMVT Bengaluru. They provide long-distance, inter-state options for passengers moving across different parts of the country.
Dadar, Udhna, Valsad, Asarva and Bandra Terminus are the western destinations named in the plan. The added capacity is relevant for workers, students and other travelers who move between major cities and their hometowns when festival demand is high.
Two different operating patterns are being used
Not all 102 services follow the same schedule. Four trains run on specified weekdays over several weeks, while additional pairs are limited to particular dates during the festive season or within specified months.
That distinction is important for trip planning. A passenger should verify the train number, travel direction, weekday and date range together, because an outward train and its return counterpart may run on different days.
Four services with fixed weekly calendars
The detailed list gives four Kanpur-linked services a fixed weekday across a run of several weeks. Their dates and directions are listed below.
- Train 04131: The Kanpur Central-SMVT Bengaluru service will run on Sundays, beginning October 4 and continuing through November 15, 2026.
- Train 04132: The reverse service from SMVT Bengaluru to Kanpur Central will operate on Wednesdays, with the schedule running from October 7 through November 18, 2026.
- Train 01925: The Kanpur Central-Madurai train is scheduled for Wednesdays, starting September 2 and ending November 25, 2026.
- Train 01926: The Madurai-Kanpur Central return service will run on Saturdays from September 5 through November 28, 2026.
Eight services limited to selected dates
The remaining detailed entries use selected-date calendars rather than a fixed weekday pattern. The festival window, month range and direction should be read with each train number.
- Train 04003: This train will connect Anand Vihar with Jogbani on particular dates within the festive window.
- Train 04004: The return service from Jogbani to Anand Vihar is also scheduled for particular dates within the festive window.
- Train 08047: The Howrah-Raxaul service is planned for specific dates in October and November 2026.
- Train 08048: Travelers in the opposite direction can use the Raxaul-Howrah service on specific dates in October and November 2026.
- Train 03105: The Sealdah-Patna train will run on specific dates in October and November 2026.
- Train 03106: The Patna-Sealdah return service has the same selected-date window in October and November 2026.
- Train 05911: This service will link Dibrugarh and Kolkata on particular dates between September and November 2026.
- Train 05912: The Kolkata-Dibrugarh direction is likewise scheduled for particular dates between September and November 2026.
How passengers should read the festive schedule
The key detail is that a city pair may have two different service numbers and two different calendars. For example, the Kanpur Central-SMVT Bengaluru train runs on Sundays, while its return from SMVT Bengaluru runs on Wednesdays; the Madurai pair likewise uses Wednesdays in one direction and Saturdays in the other.
For selected-date services, the announcement gives a month range rather than a single recurring weekday. Travelers can use the route list to identify possible corridors, but they must match their intended journey to the correct number and operating period before finalizing plans.
