In preparation for the busy Holi festival on March 25, Indian Railways has  rolled out around 540 special train services to accommodate the surge in passengers. These additional trains will link major cities like Mumbai, Patna, Gaya, Katra, Varanasi, Saharanpur, Prayagraj, Pune, and Ambala. Notably, there will be more departures from New Delhi to meet the increased demand.

The Ministry of Railways has outlined that these extra trains will cover important national routes such as Delhi-Patna, Delhi-Bhagalpur, Delhi-Muzaffarpur, Delhi-Saharsa, Gorakhpur-Mumbai, Kolkata-Puri, Guwahati-Ranchi, New Delhi-Sri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, Jaipur-Bandra Terminus, Pune-Danapur, Durg-Patna, and Barauni-Surat. This year, compared to last year, there will be 219 additional services to ensure passengers can travel conveniently. Railway officials have also mentioned the deployment of extra security units to manage crowds effectively.

Special Trains Schedule for Holi 2024
Here's a rundown of some special trains announced for Holi 2024:

• New Delhi - Shaheed Captain Tushar Mahajan Express (04033) running on March 22nd and 29th.
• Martyr Captain Tushar Mahajan - New Delhi Express (04034) operating on March 23rd and 30th.
• Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra - New Delhi Reserved Express (04075) available on March 24th and 31st.
• New Delhi - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Reserved Express (04076) running on March 25th and April 1st.
• Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra - Varanasi (01654) operating on March 24th and 31st.
• Varanasi - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Express (01653) available on March 26th and April 2nd.
• Martyr Captain Tushar Mahajan - Subedarganj Special (04141) running on March 25th and April 1st.
• Subedarganj - Shaheed Captain Tushar Mahajan Special (04142) operating on March 26th and April 2nd.
• Amritsar - Gorakhpur Express (05005) available on March 20th and 27th.
• Gorakhpur - Amritsar Express (05006) running on March 21st and 28th.
• Amritsar - Chhapra Express (05049) operating on March 22nd and 29th.
• Chhapra - Amritsar Express (05050) available on March 23rd and 30th.
• Additional Trains for Holi 2024
• In addition to the listed trains, extra services include:
• Weekly specials from Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) Mumbai to various destinations.
• Weekly superfast specials from Pune to multiple destinations.
• Special services from New Delhi to Udhampur and Varanasi.
• Special services for Vaishno Devi pilgrims from New Delhi.
• Trains from Delhi to Varanasi operational three days a week.
• A weekly special train from Katra to Varanasi.
• A special train from Howrah to Banaras on March 23rd.
• Booking and Safety Measures for Holi 2024

Passengers can book tickets from reservation counters at railway stations or through the official IRCTC website to obtain e-tickets from home. To ensure traveler safety, additional Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel have been stationed at key stations. Officers are also on standby at significant stations to ensure smooth train operations. Regular announcements regarding train arrivals, departures, and platform numbers will be made to assist passengers effectively.

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