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The Railways has brought great relief to passengers traveling home for Ganesh Chaturthi. Starting September 9, the Railways will operate 262 special train trips, benefiting passengers on the Mumbai, Pune, Konkan, Goa, and Nagpur routes.

If you are planning to travel home for Ganesh Chaturthi, there is welcome news from the Railways. Passenger numbers on trains typically surge during festivals, making it difficult to secure seats and driving up bus and taxi fares. To address these issues—such as overcrowding on trains and the high cost of road transport—the Railways has announced 262 special train trips during the Ganeshotsav period. According to the Railways, operations will commence on September 9, 2026.

Which routes will the Ganpati Special trains cover?

The Railways has planned these special trains to improve connectivity between Mumbai, Goa, Pune, Konkan, and Nagpur.

The highest number of trips—112—will be operated to Sawantwadi Road.
64 trips have been scheduled for the Ratnagiri route.
24 trips have been scheduled for the Madgaon route.
The 262 special train trips include 200 reserved trains.
The remaining 62 trains will fall under the unreserved category.
These reserved trains will offer AC, Sleeper, and General class coaches.

What might the fares be?

During festivals, fares for private buses and travel services rise significantly compared to normal days. For instance, a bus ticket that usually costs between ₹500 and ₹1,000 can shoot up to ₹1,500–₹2,000 during the festive season. In this scenario, traveling via the sleeper or unreserved categories on these special trains offers passengers a cost-effective travel option.

While actual fares may vary depending on the specific train, distance, coach class, and journey details, available data suggests that the cost for a family of four on these special trains ranges from approximately ₹1,000 to ₹2,500. This makes the fare significantly cheaper compared to bus travel.

What benefits will passengers receive during the festival?

Passenger traffic surges significantly on routes to the Konkan region and Goa during Ganesh Chaturthi. Consequently, bus and taxi fares also rise sharply compared to normal days. The introduction of 262 special trains will provide passengers with more options and facilitate travel even at the last minute.

An increased number of trains improves the chances of securing confirmed tickets.
Passengers will have access to additional seats and train options during the festival.
This offers relief from the high costs associated with private buses.
The 62 unreserved trains will benefit those wishing to travel at the last minute without a prior reservation.
The 200 reserved special trains will feature coaches across various categories.
So far, over 1.17 lakh tickets have already been booked for these reserved special trains.

Who will benefit from the Railways' 262 special trains?

These trains will primarily benefit passengers planning to travel to Mumbai, Pune, the Konkan region, and Goa for Ganesh Chaturthi. This initiative by the Railways is specifically designed to alleviate the festive rush and provide passengers with an affordable travel option.