In view of the heavy passenger rush expected during the Holi festival, Indian Railways has announced the operation of 1,410 Holi special train services across the country. The move is aimed at easing congestion, reducing waiting lists, and ensuring smoother travel for passengers returning home for the festival.
The East Central Railway (ECR) will operate 285 special trains, primarily catering to high-demand routes connected to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. These special services will run between March 1 and March 22, 2026.
Confirming the arrangements, Saraswati Chandra, Chief Public Relations Officer of East Central Railway, said the trains have been planned keeping in mind the seasonal migration of passengers during Holi.
Key Holi Special Train Services
Among the major special services announced are:
Kota (Sogaria) – Danapur Special
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Train No. 09821: Departs Sogaria at 23:10 hrs on February 28 and March 7; reaches Danapur at 23:45 hrs the next day via Katni, Prayagraj Chheoki, and DDU
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Train No. 09822 (Return): Departs Danapur at 01:15 hrs on March 2 and 9; reaches Sogaria at 01:10 hrs the next day
Rani Kamlapati (Bhopal) – Danapur Special
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Train No. 01667: Departs Rani Kamlapati on February 27 and March 2 at 14:25 hrs; reaches Danapur at 08:45 hrs the next day
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Train No. 01668 (Return): Departs Danapur on February 28 and March 3 at 11:15 hrs; reaches Rani Kamlapati at 08:55 hrs the next day
Rani Kamlapati – Agartala Special
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Train No. 01665: Departs Rani Kamlapati every Thursday from March 5 at 15:20 hrs; reaches Agartala on the third day
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Train No. 01666 (Return): Departs Agartala every Sunday from March 8 at 17:20 hrs
Hapa (Gujarat) – Naharlagun (Arunachal Pradesh) Special
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Train No. 09525: Departs Hapa every Wednesday from March 4 at 00:40 hrs; reaches Naharlagun on the third day via Varanasi, Chhapra, and Hajipur
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Train No. 09526 (Return): Departs Naharlagun every Saturday from March 7 at 09:40 hrs; reaches Hapa on the fourth day
Passenger Advisory
Railways have advised passengers to plan journeys in advance and monitor train status through the 139 helpline, the NTES website, or the NTES mobile application.
Relief for Migrant Passengers
The additional services are expected to provide significant relief to migrant workers and families travelling to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh from cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kota, Bhopal, and Ahmedabad. Stations including Danapur, Hajipur, Patliputra, Barauni, and Chhapra are likely to see the maximum benefit.
