Western Railway adds five special trains for Holi festival travel rush

Western Railway has launched five special trains to manage the Holi festival rush in the Ratlam Division. These services will connect key cities like Mumbai, Vadodara, Patna, and Varanasi over the coming weeks. The additional routes aim to ease travel for passengers heading home for celebrations.

The first of these services, Train No 09189/09190, will operate weekly between Mumbai Central and Katihar from February 21 to March 31. It will pass through Ujjain and Ratlam, offering sleeper, general, and AC coaches for travellers.

From February 21, Train No 09195/09196 will run weekly between Vadodara and Mau, also stopping at Ratlam. Two days later, on February 23, Train No 09111/09112 will begin weekly trips between Vadodara and Gorakhpur, with Ratlam as a key halt.

Starting February 26, Train No 09343/09344 will connect Dr Ambedkar Nagar and Patna via Indore, Ujjain, and Ratlam, running until March 27. Another service, Train No 09183/09184, will run weekly between Mumbai Central and Varanasi from March 4 to March 27, again passing through Ratlam.

Each year, Western Railway introduces 200–250 extra festival-season trains between Ratlam and major destinations like Mumbai, Varanasi, and Patna. These temporary services help manage the surge in passenger numbers during peak travel periods.

All five special trains include sleeper, general, and AC coaches to accommodate different travel needs. The expanded services will remain in operation until late March, ensuring smoother journeys for Holi travellers. Western Railway has confirmed these measures to reduce overcrowding and improve connectivity.