Indian Railways announces special trains for Raksha Bandhan and Onam festivals

Indian Railways is operating numerous special train services to help passengers travel smoothly during the busy Raksha Bandhan and Onam festival season. To manage the heavy passenger rush, several new routes and additional trips have been officially scheduled. Here are the key highlights of the special festival train services: A total of 112 special services are scheduled for Onam between August 14 and September 6, 2026, marking a 103% increase compared to last year. Western Central Railway has confirmed 47 special services across five routes operating from August 22 to August 31, 2026. Passengers can check live schedules and updates using the Rail Madad helpline at 139 or the official NTES app.

Major Festival Special Routes and Timings

Indian Railways has planned extensive connectivity across different regions to cater to families travelling for the celebrations. The Hazrat Nizamuddin-Thiruvananthapuram Central Special (04080/04079) departed from Hazrat Nizamuddin on August 23, 2026, at 6:40 AM, with the return service leaving Thiruvananthapuram Central at 5:00 AM. This train features air-conditioned, sleeper, and general coaches, connecting Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and South India with multiple stops including Mathura, Kota, Vadodara, Vasai Road, Madgaon, Mangaluru, Kozhikode, Ernakulam Town, and Kollam.Additionally, Saurabh Jain, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of the Kota Rail Division, shared details about the Jodhpur-Chennai Central Raksha Bandhan AC Special (04815/04816). Departing Jodhpur on August 29, 2026, at 9:20 PM, it reaches Chennai Beach Station on Monday at 8:00 PM, running with 19 coaches including two AC 2-tier, 15 AC 3-tier, and two guard coaches. Its return trip departs MGR Chennai Central on Tuesday at 5:15 PM. Furthermore, North Central Railway has scheduled the Subedarganj-Shakurbasti weekly special operating on select dates between August 25 and August 31, 2026, stopping at Fatehpur, Kanpur, Tundla Junction, and Aligarh. Other notable operations include the Kota-Hazrat Nizamuddin-Kota Express Special (09803/09804) and the Jabalpur-Hazrat Nizamuddin Special (01701/01702). Passengers are advised to verify their train schedules, timings, and halts through the official website at www.enquiry.indianrail.gov.in before embarking on their journey.