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Indian Railways has begun operating special trains to cater to the expected surge in passenger traffic during the Christmas and New Year travel period.

As part of the festive travel arrangements, 244 special train trips across eight railway zones have already been notified, with officials stating that additional services will be announced in the coming days to further ease congestion and ensure smoother travel for passengers.

According to a detailed release issued by the Indian Railways on Thursday the 18th of December 2025, the Central Railway (CR) will operate the highest number with 76 trips, followed by the Western Railway (WR) with 72 services.

The South Western Railway (SWR) has scheduled 28 trips, while the South-Central Railway (SCR) will run 26 and the South East Central Railway (SECR) 24.

Northern Railway (NR) has notified eight trips, North Western Railway (NWR) six, and Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) four, taking the total number of festive special train services to 244.

On the Mumbai-Goa (Konkan) corridor, daily and weekly specials are being operated between Mumbai CSMT / LTT and Karmali/Madgaon, covering major stops along the way and providing additional seating and sleeper options.

Similarly, special services on Mumbai-Nagpur, Pune-Sanganer, and other Maharashtra routes are helping passengers avoid overcrowding on regular trains while providing convenient travel options during the festive period.

Across northern and eastern India, special trains on busy corridors connecting Delhi, Howrah, Lucknow, and nearby cities are being run to accommodate long-distance travellers heading home or to holiday destinations.

In the south and central regions, additional services connecting Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Mangaluru, and other cities ensure smooth travel for passengers during this peak period.

Specific examples include CSMT-Karmali, LTT-Thiruvananthapuram, Pune-Sanganer, and CSMT-Nagpur, among others, with each offering multiple trips to meet the festive rush.
By running these special trains, Indian Railways is providing additional capacity, comfort, and convenience, helping passengers celebrate Christmas and New Year 2026 without travel stress, while connecting them efficiently to beaches, cities, and holiday destinations across India, a statement from the Ministry stated.