Indian Railways Announces 400+ Special Trains, Including Vande Bharat, for Holi Travel Rush
New Delhi, March 10, 2025: To manage the surge in passenger traffic during Holi, the Northern Railway (NR) zone has announced the operation of over 400 special trains, including the high-speed Vande Bharat Express. This initiative aims to facilitate smoother travel for millions of passengers across key routes during the festive season.
In addition to special trains, NR has introduced extra coaches on regular services, creating nearly 300,000 additional berths to accommodate the festive rush. These enhancements are part of the railway’s broader strategy to provide seamless travel experiences during peak demand.
404 Special Trains to Major Destinations
According to Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Northern Railway, a total of 404 Holi Special trains will run on crucial routes connecting major cities such as Patna, Danapur, Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Amritsar, Howrah, Dhanbad, Pune, and Hyderabad. Notably, a Vande Bharat Express will operate as a Holi Special between New Delhi and Patna Junction, covering 998 km in just 11 hours and 40 minutes, and will run until March 20.
“NR will operate 404 special trains to various destinations. The number of Holi Special trains in 2025 is significantly higher than in previous years,” Upadhyay stated.
Trains on Demand for Last-Minute Travelers
The special trains will fall under two categories: Announced Special Trains and Trains on Demand (TOD). The announced trains will feature reserved coaches, including Sleeper Class and AC compartments, while TOD services will cater to unreserved passengers based on real-time demand.
“Apart from the announced special trains, we will also run unreserved Trains on Demand, which will be introduced as per passenger requirements,” the railway official added.
With Indian Railways increasing its efforts to manage the festive rush, passengers can expect more options and better connectivity, ensuring they can celebrate Holi with their loved ones without travel hassles.
