Bhubaneswar: The East Coast Railway (ECoR) will be running 27 pairs of special trains during Kali Puja and Chhat Puja to manage the increased travel demand during the festival season.
While 18 pairs will run till the last week of November, 2 pairs till the first week of November and 5 pair till the last week of December 2024. There will be additional Special to Jayanagar and Danapur from Puri and Visakhapatnam, respectively.
Additional special trains have also been planned from Puri and Visakhapatnam to Patna and Madhubani respectively, in Bihar for Chhat Puja, it further stated.
The Special Trains will depart from various major stations from ECoR jurisdiction, including:
• Bhubaneswar to Dhanbad (Jharkhand) and Yesvantpur (Bengaluru)
• Puri to Patna & Jayanagar (Bihar), Nizamuddin, Udhna (Surat), Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh), Kolkata, Santragachhi & Shalimar (West Bengal) and Bhanjapur (Baripada)
• Sambalpur to Erode (Kerala)
• Visakhapatnam to Secunderabad, Bengaluru, Tirupati, Chennai, Kollam (Kerala), Shalimar, Danapur (Bihar) and Araku
• Brahmapur to Nanded (Maharastra), Secunderabad and Surat (Gujarat)
• Srikakulam to Secunderabad and Tirupati
• Cuttack to Hyderabad
“These Special Trains will provide additional convenience to passengers traveling to popular destinations during Diwali and Chhath Puja, ensuring that everyone reaches their destination safely and on time.”
Additionally, 14 pairs of special trains are running through ECoR jurisdiction connecting important cities and states, enhancing connectivity and easing the burden on regular train services during this high-demand period, it added.
The ECoR has advised passengers to book tickets in special trains when regular trains show waiting list. “Passengers are encouraged to stay updated on the schedule and availability of these special trains through various platforms like National Train Enquiry System (NTES), East Coast Railway’s Social Media Platforms, PRS Enquiry Counters at Railway Stations. These will provide real-time information to ensure a smooth and hassle-free travel experience.”
