Holi Travel Made Easy: Indian Railways Announces 1500+ Special Trains

Massive Expansion to Support Festive Travel- Indian Railway took an initiative to ensure smooth and stress-free travel during the Holi Festival. It announced approx 1500 special trains running across the country. It is understood that demand will rise during the Holi season. So the Indian Railways has planned to launch and run more than 1410 Holi special trains to manage the festive rush. In the coming weeks, the number of trains will increase. This special service will operate during March to offer the best connectivity and hassle free journey. 

The launch of these trains marks a commendable improvement over the years. If you compare it with previous years, during Holi 2025. 1,144 specials train were operated, but this year it has increased. The expansion of special trains shows the continuous efforts of Indian Railways towards the passengers. Help the passengers to accommodate easily and avoid the major challenges during festivals. 

Connecting Major Cities and Regional Hubs

With the advent of technology, Holi special trains cover or manage the huge demand on routes. Routes that link to the metropolitan cities and capitals of the state and shift to the economic centers. These routes mostly show the heavy congestion during the peak festive time. As we know, people travel to visit their hometown to celebrate Holi with family and friends. 

Not only these special train Indian Railways enhance additional services. The aim is to minimise the overcrowding on regular trains as well better seat availability. The advancement is to improve the overall comfort and reduce the delays caused by the passengers’ load. 

Zone-Wise Distribution of Special Trains

Distribution has been done according to the zone; you will get to know the planning behind this by the Indian Railway. The highest number of trains will operate in the East Central Railway (ECR), with 285 special trains. The Western Railway (WR) will run 231 trains, and the Central Railway has 209 services.

• The South Central Railway (SCR) operates 160 special trains.
• The Northern Railway (NR) operates 108 services.
• The North Western Railway (NWR)- 71 trains.
• Northern Centrain Railway (NCR) is planning to offer 66 special services.
• North Eastern Railway (NER) and the East Coast Railway (ECOR)- 62 trains each.
• To strengthen the connectivity, the South Western Railway (SWR) operates 47 trains.
• The West Central Railway (WCR) will operate 43 services.
• The Southern Railway (SR)- 39 trains.
• The South East Central Railway (SECR)- 15 services.
• The Konkan Railway (KR) and the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) will operate 9 and 2 trains, respectively.

So the best thing about the special train limit the uncertainty of confirmed tickets. Apart from the ticket, you can order food on train via the RailMitra App during the festive rush as well. Better to pre-book your meal in advance and get it delivered on time to your seat.

Special Focus on North Central Railway Routes

Apart from that, the North Central has launched more than 200 special train trips to manage the crowd of passengers during the festive time across the key routes in Uttar Pradesh and neighboring states. With the help of this service, it will help to enhance the connectivity between cities such as Prayagraj, Kanpur, Jhansi, and Agra. This initiative is helping to ease the congestion of the busiest corridors, especially during the festive season. 

Ensuring Passenger Safety and Convenience

Railway officials focus on the safety, security, punctuality, and onboard services. Check the regular maintenance, and check the system as well.  Passengers can easily check the seat availability and train schedules through the RailMitra App. With the addition of special trains, Indian Railways aims to make Holi stress-free for many travellers. 

Holi Special Trains 2026: Zone-wise Distribution