Railways To Run 12,000 Special Trains For Diwali & Chhath; 20% Discount On Return Tickets Announced

Indian Railways has announced major plans for the upcoming festive season of Diwali and Chhath, bringing relief to passengers with both additional trains and attractive discounts.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday said that more than 12,000 special trains will run during the peak travel season.

20% Discount on Return Tickets

Along with this, passengers will also be given a 20% discount on return tickets, making festive travel easier and more affordable.

The minister said that the discount will apply to those who book onward journeys between October 13 and October 26 and return journeys between November 17 and December 1. “This initiative has been taken after detailed discussions with senior leaders from Bihar.

We wanted to ensure that people not only reach their homes comfortably during Diwali and Chhath but also return without facing hardships. The discount on return tickets will benefit lakhs of passengers,” Vaishnaw added.

The announcement comes after consultations with Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, MP Dr. Sanjay Jaiswal, and MP Sanjay Kumar Jha. 

Leaders from Bihar had requested the Centre for more facilities, keeping in mind the huge rush of passengers during the two festivals.

Responding to these requests, the railway ministry has lined up a big package of new trains, infrastructure upgrades, and passenger-friendly measures.

New Train Services for Bihar

One of the key highlights is the launch of four new Amrit Bharat Express trains. These will connect Gaya to Delhi, Saharsa to Amritsar, Chhapra to Delhi, and Muzaffarpur to Hyderabad.

Along with these, a new Vande Bharat Express will run between Purnia and Patna. The minister also announced the introduction of a Buddhist Circuit Train, designed especially for middle-class families.

This train will cover major Buddhist sites including Vaishali, Hajipur, Sonepur, Patna, Rajgir, Gaya, and Koderma.

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Major Rail Expansion Projects in Bihar

Apart from these new services, the government has cleared several expansion projects for Bihar. The Buxar–Lakhisarai section will be upgraded into a four-line corridor to allow more train operations. A ring railway system will be developed around Patna to decongest city traffic.

New connectivity will also be provided between Sultanganj and Deoghar. Additionally, a direct train service between Patna and Ayodhya will soon begin. 

To improve train maintenance, a washing pit facility will be set up at Laukaha Bazar, while new road overbridges will be built across Bihar.