Indian Railways to run 12,000 special trains for Bihar during Diwali, Chhath puja
Passengers undertaking onward journeys between October 13 to 26 and return journeys between November 17 to December 1 will be offered a 20% discount on return tickets. This initiative will be implemented during this festive season and will benefit a large number of people.
In a huge relief for passengers struggling to book a ticket for Diwali and Chhath puja the Indian Railways on August 21 announced that it will run over 12,000 special trains to Bihar from across the country to help people reach their homes conveniently during the upcoming festive season.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw held discussions with Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal, Union Minister Lalan Singh, and JDU leader Sanjay Kumar Jha.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Vaishnaw said special arrangements will be made for passengers during the upcoming Diwali and Chhath festivals.
“It should also be kept in mind that our passengers should also get convenience in the return journey. After discussion with public representatives, it was decided that 12 thousand special trains should be run for the upcoming Diwali and Chhath. At the same time, it should also be kept in mind and our passengers should get convenience in the return journey,” Vaishnaw said.
New Amrit Bharat trains
The new trains include the launch of four new Amrit Bharat trains that will connect Delhi and Gaya, Saharsa and Amritsar, Chhapra and Delhi, as well as Muzaffarpur and Hyderabad. The minister said the new train services are aimed at making travel convenient for the people of Bihar.
The Buxar–Lakhisarai rail section will be expanded into a four-line corridor, enabling more train operations. A ring railway system will be developed around Patna. Sultanganj and Deoghar will be connected by rail. A new train service will also run between Patna and Ayodhya. A washing pit facility will be set up at Laukaha Bazar, and work will be carried out on several newly approved road overbridges in Bihar, shri Ashwini Vaishnaw added.
Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary, Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, MP Dr. Sanjay Jaiswal, and MP Sanjay Kumar Jha expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for approving more projects for Bihar and for the launch of several new trains, including Amrit Bharat and Vande Bharat.
Discounts on return ticket
Railways has announced discounts on return fares under ‘Round Trip Package’ scheme. Under the Indian Railways’ Round Trip Package scheme, the rebates will be applicable when booked for both onward and return journey for the same set of passengers.
Passengers undertaking onward journeys between October 13 to 26 and return journeys between November 17 to December 1 will be offered a 20% discount on return tickets. This initiative will be implemented during this festive season and will benefit a large number of people.
Special trains service
During the years 2024 and 2025 around 13,500 trips of special trains each year were operated to meet the extra rush of passengers during Holi and Summer vacation. To cater to the rush during Durga Pooja/Deepawali/Chhath, 7,990 trips of Special trains were operated during the period 1st October,2024 to 30th November, 2024, to serve approximately 1.8 crore passengers.
With a view to facilitate the passengers during the Maha Kumbh, IR operated more than 17,300 trains during the period 13th January, 2025 to 28th February, 2025, which served approximately 4.24 crore passengers.
Modi to launch new trains in Bihar
A slew of infrastructure and healthcare projects will be unveiled during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Bihar on August 22.
PM Modi will launch two trains in Bihar, including Amrit Bharat Express between Gaya and Delhi and Buddhist Circuit Train between Vaishali and Koderma. The latter, which will facilitate pilgrimage to key Buddhist sites like Nalanda and Rajgir, is expected to boost to local tourism.
Further, Vaishnaw reiterated a new experimental scheme of the Railway Board under which if people undertake an onward journey between October 13 and October 26, and return between November 17 and December 1 in 2025, they will get a 20% discount on the round trip fare.
The Prime Minister will also inaugurate an 8.15 km Aunta-Simaria bridge project on NH-31, which includes a 1.86 km six-lane bridge over the Ganga. This is expected to provide direct connectivity between Mokama in Patna and Begusarai.
The government says that the bridge, built at a cost of over ₹1,870 crore, will reduce travel distance by over 100 km for heavy vehicles travelling between north and south Bihar.
