Indian Railways has taken significant steps to ensure smooth and comfortable travel for passengers during the peak summer season by approving 908 special train services across the country from April 15 to July 15, 2026, to manage the seasonal surge in passenger traffic.
These trains will operate a total of 18,262 trips, aimed at ensuring wider connectivity, improving availability of berths and reducing waiting lists during the peak travel season.
Advance planning, early notification
Out of the approved services, 660 trains accounting for 11,294 trips have already been notified, enabling passengers to plan travel in advance.
The move reflects the Indian Railways’ efforts to address higher demand during summer vacations, festivals and peak travel months through advance capacity augmentation.
Zone-wise deployment
The special train operations span across major railway zones to ensure balanced connectivity.
South Central Railway leads with 124 trains (1,184 trips) approved and 76 trains (324 trips) notified, followed by Western Railway with 106 trains (2,078 trips) approved and 92 trains (1,667 trips) notified.
North Western Railway has approved 76 trains (2,245 trips) with 62 trains (1,878 trips) notified, while Northern Railway has approved 76 trains (2,090 trips) with 56 trains (1,535 trips) notified.
Central Railway has approved 74 trains (3,082 trips) with 70 trains (2,238 trips) notified, Southern Railway 72 trains (558 trips) with 38 trains (133 trips) notified, and East Central Railway 64 trains (2,711 trips) with 38 trains (1,060 trips) notified.
Passenger benefits
The additional services are expected to ease congestion by reducing waiting lists, increasing availability of confirmed tickets and enhancing connectivity across key routes.
Indian Railways said the large-scale deployment is aimed at ensuring smoother and more comfortable journeys during the high-demand summer period.