Indian Railways to run 300+ special trains for Rath Yatra 2026

Indian Railways is gearing up for Rath Yatra 2026 with over 300 special trains, expanded facilities at Puri Railway Station and fresh crowd-management plans to make travel easier for lakhs of devotees.

In Short

• Indian Railways announces more than 300 Rath Yatra special trains
• Puri Railway Station prepares to handle around 30,000 passengers at a time
• Railways also plans over 100 special trains for the Onam festival

Indian Railways is preparing for the Rath Yatra 2026 rush with more than 300 Rath Yatra special trains for devotees travelling to Puri. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said these services will run in addition to the more than 800 regular trains already operating.

The move is aimed at making travel smoother during one of the country's biggest religious festivals.

Along with extra trains, Indian Railways is also strengthening passenger facilities and crowd management at Puri Railway Station ahead of the annual Jagannath Rath Yatra.

EXTRA TRAINS FOR DEVOTEES

Speaking to reporters, Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Railways will operate more than 300 special trains for this year's Rath Yatra.

"These are additional trains to the regular more than 800 trains."

The minister also said he will personally review railway arrangements to ensure operations remain smooth and passengers have a hassle-free travel experience during the festival.

BIGGER HOLDING AREA AT PURI STATION

To handle the heavy festive rush, Indian Railways is creating a temporary holding area at Puri Railway Station that can accommodate around 30,000 passengers.

The arrangement is expected to help manage crowds more efficiently and improve passenger movement during the celebrations.

ONAM ALSO GETS SPECIAL TRAIN SERVICES

Apart from Rath Yatra, the Railway Minister announced that more than 100 special trains will also run during the Onam festival this year to meet higher travel demand.

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