With Holi falling on March 4, 2026, North Eastern Railway has announced 62 special trains between March 1 and March 22 to manage the sharp rise in passenger demand
As Holi approaches, passenger traffic on North Eastern Railway (NER) routes has surged, especially on long-distance services linking eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar with Delhi and Mumbai. To ease congestion, NER will operate 62 Holi special trains from March 1 to March 22, 2026.
High demand ahead of Holi
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Reservation data shows that most regular long-distance trains on these routes are already fully booked. Between February 24 and March 2, trains travelling from Delhi and Mumbai towards Gorakhpur are reporting no-room status across nearly all classes. Similarly, post-Holi services from Gorakhpur to Delhi and Mumbai between March 5 and March 15 are also fully packed.
Key trains showing full occupancy during this period include:
- Gorakhdham Superfast (Bathinda–Gorakhpur and return)
- Sampark Kranti Superfast (New Delhi–Gorakhpur–Darbhanga and return)
- Vaishali Express (New Delhi–Gorakhpur–Lalit Gram and return)
- Kushinagar Express (LTT–Gorakhpur and return)
The heavy waiting lists reflect strong seasonal migration patterns, with passengers travelling home for Holi and returning shortly after the festival.
62 Holi special trains announced
To manage the rush, North Eastern Railway will initially operate 62 Holi special trains between March 1 and March 22. These trains will originate from major stations including:
- Gorakhpur
- Lucknow
- Banaras
- Kathgodam
- Chhapra
They will connect to major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, along with other destinations.
According to NER Chief Public Relations Officer Pankaj Kumar Singh, the plan remains flexible. If passenger demand exceeds current projections, additional trips may be added during the festival window. Gorakhpur will witness the highest concentration of special services, with around a dozen trains primarily heading towards Delhi and Amritsar.
Services from major stations in Bihar are also scheduled around the Holi period to accommodate increased travel demand.
Crowd management measures at Gorakhpur
To handle peak footfall, a passenger holding area will be activated at Gorakhpur Junction from February 25. This facility is intended to regulate queues and reduce congestion on platforms during boarding. The measure aims to streamline movement for passengers travelling on both regular and special trains.
One-time Azamgarh–Yashvantpur special
In addition to the Holi specials, North Eastern Railway will run a one-time long-distance service. Train number 05009 Azamgarh–Yashvantpur special via Gorakhpur will operate on February 11.
As per the announced schedule:
- Departure from Azamgarh: 05:05 on February 11
- Arrival at Gorakhpur: 08:50
- Arrival at Yashvantpur: 10:30 the following morning
- The train will run with 17 coaches.
Overall outlook
The booking data and deployment of 62 Holi special trains indicate exceptionally high seasonal demand on North Eastern Railway routes in 2026. With additional trips possible and crowd-management measures in place at Gorakhpur Junction, railway authorities aim to ease pressure on fully booked regular services connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar during the Holi travel peak.
Published: 10 Feb 2026, 03:30 pm IST
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