Indian Railways will operate 1,500 additional trains over five days to handle the Chhath festival travel rush. The rail network averages 300 extra services daily beyond regular schedules to accommodate passengers heading home for celebrations. Officials report that 4,493 special trips ran over 21 days for Diwali, moving travelers at an average of 213 services per day.
The railway system scheduled more than 12,000 special trains from Oct. 1 through Nov. 30 for both festivals. Authorities approved 11,865 trips across 916 trains, with 9,338 reserved services and 2,203 unreserved options. The total represents a substantial jump from 7,724 holiday trains operated last year for the same period.
On Oct. 19, Udhna Station in Gujarat processed over 36,000 passengers, marking a 50 percent increase from 2024. Workers established holding areas and multiple ticket windows to manage crowds efficiently. More than 120,000 people traveled through Udhna over five days as families moved to celebration destinations.
