Indian Railways operated more than 43,000 special train trips in 2025 to manage heavy passenger traffic during major festivals and peak travel periods
New Delhi: Indian Railways undertook large-scale special train operations in 2025 to ensure smooth, safe and convenient travel during festivals and peak seasons, operating over 43,000 special train trips across the country, the Railway Ministry said on Friday.
According to the ministry, the expanded operations were aimed at meeting rising passenger demand, improving connectivity and managing heavy crowds during religious events, holidays and seasonal travel peaks. Officials said the scale of operations in 2025 reflected better planning and a stronger focus on passenger convenience compared to previous years.
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One of the biggest deployments of special trains took place during the Maha Kumbh in 2025. Between January 13 and February 28, Indian Railways operated 17,340 special train trips to facilitate the movement of a very large number of pilgrims travelling to and from the event.
For Holi 2025, held from March 1 to March 22, the Railways operated 1,144 special train trips, nearly double the number run during Holi 2024. The ministry said the increased services helped improve seat availability and ease congestion during the festive period.
During the summer travel season, spanning April 1 to June 30, 2025, Indian Railways ran 12,417 summer special train trips to manage the annual surge in passenger traffic during school holidays and vacation months.
Special arrangements were also made for Chhath Puja 2025, with 12,383 special train trips operated between October 1 and November 20. The ministry noted that this marked a substantial increase over previous years and was intended to ensure smoother travel for devotees returning to their home states.
The Railway Ministry said the enhanced arrangements in 2025 were built on the operational base created in 2024 and underscored Indian Railways’ continued focus on efficient crowd management, passenger safety and service reliability during periods of high demand.
Officials added that operating special trains has become a key strategy to reduce overcrowding on regular services during large religious gatherings and nationwide festivals. However, with passenger numbers continuing to grow each year, the question remains whether even 43,000 special train trips are enough to fully meet India’s expanding travel demand during peak seasons.
(With PTI)
Published: 26 Dec 2025, 09:09 pm IST
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