INDIAN RAILWAYS TO RUN RECORD 380 GANPATI SPECIAL TRAIN TRIPS THIS YEAR

New Delhi, Aug 22, 2025 : Indian Railways will run a record 380 Ganpati special train trips this year to cater to the surge in festive travel, officials said on Thursday. This is the highest-ever number of services announced for the festival, surpassing the 358 trips operated in 2024 and 305 in 2023.

The bulk of these services will be run by Central Railway, which has announced 296 trips, mainly to address the heavy demand from Maharashtra and the Konkan region. Western Railway will operate 56 trips, South Western Railway 22, and Konkan Railway (KRCL) 6.

Ganpati Puja will be celebrated from August 27 to September 6 this year. Anticipating the rush, Railways has already begun operating special services from August 11, with more trips being added as the festival approaches.

Officials said halts for the Konkan-bound trains have been carefully planned, covering stations such as Ratnagiri, Chiplun, Kudal, Sawantwadi Road, Thivim, Madgaon, Karwar, Udupi and Surathkal, among several others, to facilitate passenger movement across the coastal belt.

“The detailed schedule of the Ganpati Special trains is available on the IRCTC website, RailOne app and at computerized PRS counters,” the Railways said in a statement.