During the festive season in India, people celebrate the festival through family gatherings, joyous monuments, and religious rituals. Indian Railways is making substantial efforts to ensure that passengers can travel to their desired destinations with effortlessness, addressing the increased demand for travel during festival time. A special facility for this is the operation of a completely reservation-based special Vande Bharat Express train, which will run between Patna and New Delhi for a total of six trips. This opening move is a part of a larger plan that involves running 283 festival special trains to undertake a remarkable total of 4,480 journeys throughout the festive season.
The special Vande Bharat Express, identified by the train number 02252, will embark on its journey from New Delhi to Patna Junction. Departing at 7:25 AM, it will reach Patna at 7:00 PM, making this service available on November 11, 14, and 16. For the return trip, the reservation-based Train number 02251, operating from Patna Junction to New Delhi, will run on November 12, 15, and 17. Commencing its journey at 7:00 AM from Patna Junction, it will arrive in New Delhi at 7:00 PM on the same evening. Along the way, it will make stops at Ara Junction at 08:28 hrs, Buxar at 09:28 hrs, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Junction at 10:28 hours, Prayagraj at 12:10 hrs, and New Delhi at 19:00 hours.
The fare for passengers opting for the AC Chair Car coach from New Delhi (NDLS) to Patna (PNBE) is set at ₹2355, while those seeking the comfort of the AC Executive Chair Car coach will pay ₹4410 for their journey.
Beyond the special Vande Bharat Express service, Indian Railways is all set to roll out a total of 283 festival special trains to meet the demands of passengers celebrating Diwali and Chhath Puja. These special trains, in aggregate, will make an astounding 4,480 trips during this festival season. The Eastern Central Railway will contribute to this effort by operating 42 trains that will make a maximum of 512 trips, and the Western Railway will play its part by operating 36 trains during the festive season, making a maximum of 1,262 trips.
In 2022, Indian Railways had announced 2614 trips of 216 Puja Special trains to connect major destinations across the country on various railway routes. This experience from the previous year’s festivities has contributed to the planning and execution of this year’s travel services. It is set to operate a total of 24 trains, making 1,208 trips during this season to meet the high travel demand.
To elevate the travel experience and prioritize safety, the Railway Board has recommended railway zones to guide ticket-checking staff in confirming passengers’ by verifying the presence of valid and authorized identification documents.
