With millions of passengers heading home for Diwali and the four-day Chhath Mahaparv, Indian Railways has launched dozens of festival special train services crisscrossing Uttar Pradesh. Key railway hubs across the state—including Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Kanpur, Moradabad, and Bareilly—are set to handle massive passenger flows connecting the northern and eastern belts. With regular express and superfast trains showing heavy waitlists, these specially scheduled services provide crucial relief to travelers moving between national metro centers like Delhi, Mumbai, and Chandigarh and destination hubs across eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Key Route 1: New Delhi – Gorakhpur – New Delhi Festival Special

A major dedicated reserved festival service has been scheduled to connect the national capital directly with eastern Uttar Pradesh:

• Train No. 04022 (New Delhi to Gorakhpur Special): Departs from New Delhi at 14:30 hrs and reaches Gorakhpur Junction at 04:10 hrs the following morning.

• Train No. 04021 (Gorakhpur to New Delhi Special): Departs Gorakhpur at 07:00 hrs and arrives in New Delhi at 23:10 hrs on the same day.

• Key UP Stoppages: Ghaziabad, Hapur, Moradabad, Bareilly, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Lucknow, Gonda, Basti, and Khalilabad.

Key Route 2: Anand Vihar Terminal – Chhapra Express via Varanasi and Prayagraj

To serve passengers across central and south-eastern Uttar Pradesh, Northern Railway has put into operation dedicated AC festival specials:

• Train No. 04058 (Anand Vihar Terminal to Chhapra): Departs Anand Vihar at 00:20 hrs on scheduled Tuesdays and Fridays.

• Train No. 04057 (Chhapra to Anand Vihar Terminal): Departs Chhapra at 22:10 hrs.

• Key UP Stoppages: Tundla, Govindpuri (Kanpur), Prayagraj, Gyanpur Road, Varanasi, Sarnath, Aunrihar, Ghazipur City, Ballia, and Suraimanpur.

Key Route 3: Varanasi – Delhi Junction Superfast Festival Special

Connecting the spiritual capital of Kashi with the national capital, this daily-style special operates through western and central UP corridors:

• Train No. 04209 (Varanasi to Delhi Junction): Departs Varanasi at 22:15 hrs and arrives in Delhi at 13:45 hrs the next day.

• Train No. 04210 (Delhi Junction to Varanasi): Departs Delhi Junction at 18:50 hrs, reaching Varanasi at 09:50 hrs the following morning.

• Key UP Stoppages: Pratapgarh, Rae Bareli, Lucknow, Hardoi, Rampur, Moradabad, Gajraula, Hapur, and Ghaziabad.

Key Route 4: Gorakhpur – Bandra Terminus Special via Kanpur and Agra

For commuters traveling between western India and Purvanchal, Western and North Eastern Railway are operating direct high-capacity festival runs:

• Train No. 05091 (Gorakhpur to Bandra Terminus): Departs Gorakhpur at 21:55 hrs on Mondays, arriving at Bandra Terminus at 12:00 hrs on Wednesdays.

• Train No. 05092 (Bandra Terminus to Gorakhpur): Departs Bandra Terminus at 13:45 hrs on Wednesdays, reaching Gorakhpur at 23:55 hrs on Thursdays.

• Key UP Stoppages: Basti, Gonda, Badshahnagar, Aishbagh (Lucknow), Kanpur Central, Tundla Junction, and Idgah Agra.

Key Route 5: Ayodhya Cantt – Anand Vihar Terminal Festival Express

Catering to the surge of pilgrims and festive travelers heading to and from Ayodhya Dham, this dedicated corridor service runs throughout the festive season:

• Train No. 04213 (Ayodhya Cantt to Anand Vihar): Departs Ayodhya Cantt at 18:20 hrs, arriving at Anand Vihar at 06:10 hrs the next morning.

• Train No. 04214 (Anand Vihar to Ayodhya Cantt): Departs Anand Vihar at 09:00 hrs and arrives in Ayodhya Cantt at 22:00 hrs on the same day.

• Key UP Stoppages: Barabanki, Lucknow, Shahjahanpur, Bareilly, Moradabad, and Ghaziabad.

Unreserved NCR–Western UP Specials and Passenger Advisory

To manage localized inter-city crowds without reservations, Northern Railway has introduced unreserved festival shuttles between Delhi-NCR and western UP cities:

• Train 04412/04411 (Hazrat Nizamuddin – VGLB Jhansi Unreserved): Runs via Mathura, Agra Cantt, Dholpur, and Gwalior.

• Train 04414/04413 (Ghaziabad – Aligarh Jn Unreserved): Runs via Dadri, Ajaibpur, Dankaur, and Khurja to ease evening passenger transit.

• Passenger Advisory: Travelers are advised to verify real-time platform allocations and running status via the official National Train Enquiry System (NTES) app or by dialing railway helpline 139 prior to reaching stations, as festival specials may be subject to minor scheduling adjustments based on operational traffic blocks.