To ensure comfortable and hassle-free travel during the upcoming Holi festival, Indian Railways has planned the operation of a record number of Holi Special Trains across its network to meet the seasonal surge in passenger demand.
This year, Indian Railways will operate more than 1,410 Holi Special Trains, with the total number expected to go up to around 1,500 services during the festive period. These special trains will primarily operate in the month of March, providing enhanced connectivity between major cities and high-demand routes.
For comparison, during Holi 2025, Indian Railways had operated 1,144 special train trips, highlighting a significant scale-up in festive capacity this year.
Zone-Wise Deployment of Holi Special Trains
A comprehensive zone-wise plan has been drawn up to cater to region-specific travel demand:
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East Central Railway (ECR): 285 trains (highest)
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Western Railway (WR): 231 trains
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Central Railway (CR): 209 trains
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South Central Railway (SCR): 160 trains
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Northern Railway (NR): 108 trains
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North Western Railway (NWR): 71 trains
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North Central Railway (NCR): 66 trains
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North Eastern Railway (NER): 62 trains
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East Coast Railway (ECOR): 62 trains
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South Western Railway (SWR): 47 trains
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West Central Railway (WCR): 43 trains
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Southern Railway (SR): 39 trains
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South East Central Railway (SECR): 15 trains
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Konkan Railway (KR): 9 trains
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Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR): 2 trains
Focus on Passenger Convenience
The large-scale deployment of special trains reflects Indian Railways’ commitment to passenger convenience, safety, and efficient operations during major festivals. Additional capacity is expected to ease congestion on regular services, reduce waitlists, and ensure smoother travel for passengers returning to their hometowns for Holi celebrations.
Indian Railways has also advised passengers to check official railway booking platforms and notifications for updated schedules and availability of Holi Special Trains as services are progressively introduced.
