Ranchi: Anticipating heavy passenger traffic during Durga Puja, Diwali, and Chhath, the Ranchi railway division has planned special long-distance trains. A dozen such trains will operate from Ranchi, with some already in service. According to railway officials, seven pairs of special trains will pass through Ranchi between September and November, covering various destinations. This year, festival specials will also connect South India and Bihar via Ranchi, offering passengers direct travel options and easing ticket demand during peak festive seasons. The initiative follows requests from ZRUCC members for more special trains through Ranchi.
Key festival specials include the Charlapalli-Raxaul-Charlapalli special running from October 6 to November 24 every Monday from Charlapalli, and from October 9 to November 27 every Thursday from Raxaul. The Ranchi-Gorakhpur-Ranchi weekly special will run from October 18 to November 1 on Saturdays from Ranchi, and October 19 to November 2 on Sundays from Gorakhpur. Other specials include Durga-Patna-Durga (October 19–20 via Ranchi), Ranchi-Anand Vihar Terminal (October 17–31), and Anand Vihar-Ranchi (October 19–November 2).
Direct connectivity between Ajmer and Ranchi will be available through the Ajmer-Ranchi special (September 26–November 28) and Ranchi-Ajmer special (September 28–November 30), along with the Santragachi-Ajmer-Santragachi special (till November 24 and November 27). Additional long-distance specials include Bhubaneswar-Dhanbad-Bhubaneswar, Coimbatore-Dhanbad-Coimbatore, and Pottanur-Barauni-Pottanur, running on specified dates until late November or early December.
These arrangements aim to provide smoother travel and reduce passenger inconvenience during the busy festival period.