Northern Railways Responds to Winter Rush with Special Train Services to New Delhi, Katra, and Other Key Destinations

Published on December 12, 2025

Northern Railways has launched a series of special train services in response to the winter travel rush, connecting major destinations such as New Delhi, Katra, and other key cities across India. These additional services have been introduced to address the surge in passenger demand during the peak travel season, especially amidst widespread flight cancellations and delays. With many travelers facing disruptions in air travel, Northern Railways is offering a reliable alternative to help passengers reach their destinations comfortably and on time. The special trains aim to ease congestion at airports and provide a convenient, affordable, and efficient mode of transport for both pilgrims and tourists during this busy period.

A major initiative by Northern Railways is the special train running between New Delhi and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra. This special service is designed to accommodate the high volume of pilgrims visiting the holy shrine in Jammu and Kashmir during the winter months. The train service will be operational on December 12 and 13, providing a much-needed travel option for those heading to Katra.

The special train, Train No. 04081, will depart from New Delhi at 11:45 pm and reach Katra the following day at 12:00 pm. Along the way, the train will make several stops, including Panipat, Kurukshetra, Ambala Cantt, Ludhiana, Jalandhar Cantt, Pathankot Cantt, and Shaheed Captain Tushar Mahajan Udhampur. These stops provide passengers with access to important junctions, making the journey more convenient for a wide range of travelers.

In addition to the New Delhi-Katra service, Central Railway has been running a number of special trains across other important routes. These include connections between Pune and Bengaluru, Hazrat Nizamuddin and Pune, and several other high-demand routes linking Mumbai, Delhi, and Nagpur. These special trains, such as Train No. 01413/01414 between Pune and Bengaluru, are essential in offering passengers more travel options during the holiday rush and helping mitigate the impact of flight cancellations.

Further support is being provided by South Eastern Railway, which has launched special trains like the Santragachi-Yelahanka service to assist passengers who have been affected by flight disruptions. These services are an important alternative, offering a smooth, reliable travel option to those who may have experienced difficulties with air travel.

Eastern Railway is also contributing to the effort by introducing special train services between Howrah and Sealdah, two of Kolkata’s busiest railway stations. Routes like Train No. 03009/03010 (Howrah-New Delhi) and Train No. 03127/03128 (Sealdah-LTT) are designed to ease the burden on major stations and improve connectivity across the region. This expansion of services is helping passengers travel more easily between key cities in West Bengal during this high-demand period.

Meanwhile, Western Railway has added additional special trains, including the Mumbai-Bhiwani Superfast Special (Train No. 09001/09002). This service will run bi-weekly, operating every Tuesday and Friday from Mumbai Central between December 9 and 30, and every Wednesday and Saturday from Bhiwani. This route ensures fast travel between two major cities, catering to passengers who need quick and efficient travel during this busy season.

These special train services are a direct response to the disruptions in air travel, ensuring that passengers have access to alternative modes of transportation. The initiative is part of a larger strategy by Indian Railways to ensure seamless connectivity, particularly during the winter months when travel demand peaks. As flights are increasingly delayed or canceled, train services are becoming a preferred option for many travelers looking to reach their destinations without further delays.

Indian Railways has also announced that over 100 special train trips will be made between December 6 and 9 to handle the additional passenger load. These trips aim to manage the increased demand and ensure that passengers can reach their destinations on time. By providing these alternative services, Indian Railways is helping to ease the burden on both airports and travelers, giving them more flexibility during the busy holiday season.

The introduction of these special trains is part of a broader initiative to enhance the overall travel experience for passengers. Northern Railways and its counterparts in other divisions are working diligently to ensure that passengers can travel safely and efficiently, even when faced with unexpected disruptions. Whether traveling for religious pilgrimages, family gatherings, or business, passengers can rely on the expanded railway network to get them to their destinations with minimal stress and hassle.

Northern Railways has introduced special train services to New Delhi, Katra, and other key destinations to address the surge in passenger demand during the winter rush, providing reliable alternatives amid widespread flight disruptions.

As the winter season continues, these services will be crucial in managing the high volume of passengers across India. The flexibility and reliability offered by the special trains operated by Northern Railways and other divisions of Indian Railways will help ensure that travelers can reach their destinations on time, despite the challenges posed by weather and air travel disruptions. By responding quickly to changing travel demands, Indian Railways has demonstrated its commitment to providing passengers with a dependable alternative to air travel during peak seasons.