Travelling for Ganesh Chaturthi? Railways Adds Record 380 Special Train Trips
Indian Railways will operate a record 380 Ganpati Special train trips in 2025, the highest so far, to manage the festive rush. Central Railway leads with 296 services, followed by Western, South Western and Konkan zones, covering key routes across Maharashtra and the Konkan belt.
- Republic Business
- 2 min read
Indian Railways will run a record 380 special train trips for Ganesh Chaturthi this year, the highest-ever deployment of festival services. The additional trains are aimed at managing the annual rush of passengers heading towards Maharashtra and the Konkan region during the celebrations beginning August 27.
The scale of operations has grown steadily over the past three years. Railways ran 305 Ganpati specials in 2023, which rose to 358 in 2024. This year’s 380 trips mark another step up as travel demand continues to surge around the 10-day festival.
According to officials, the Central Railway zone will shoulder most of the traffic with 296 services, given the heavy rush expected across Mumbai, Pune and the Konkan belt. Western Railway will operate 56 trips, while South Western Railway has scheduled 22. Konkan Railway Corporation (KRCL), which manages the busy coastal line, has announced six services.
The first set of trains began running on August 11, with more to be introduced closer to the festival period. Routes through the Konkan region will see halts at major towns including Chiplun, Ratnagiri, Kudal, Sawantwadi Road, Thivim, Madgaon, Karwar, Udupi and Surathkal, covering nearly the entire stretch from Maharashtra to coastal Karnataka.
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Bookings for the services are available on the IRCTC website, the RailOne app and at computerized reservation counters.
Ganesh Chaturthi, one of western India’s most widely celebrated festivals, will be observed this year from August 27 to September 6. The period typically witnesses a surge in demand for rail tickets as families return to their hometowns, prompting Railways to announce additional services.
By scheduling a record number of trips this year, officials hope to ease congestion and provide more travel options for passengers during what is among the busiest travel windows of the year.