The additional services will start operating in the last week of February and will continue through the end of March – covering both the outward festival movement and the return flow.
The decision was taken early to ease pressure before peak dates hit.
62 Holi special trains announced by the Moradabad division
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Aditya Gupta confirmed that 31 pairs – or 62 trains – have been notified for the Holi period.
“In view of the increasing crowds for Holi, the Moradabad Railway Division has started operating 62 Holi special trains, which will run until the end of March,” Gupta told ANI. He added that the services connect Delhi with Gorakhpur, Bihar and Howrah, covering key stations including Saharanpur, Ghaziabad, Hapur, Moradabad and Bareilly.
#WATCH | Moradabad (UP): On Holi Special trains to run from Moradabad railway division from the last week of February until the end of March, Senior DCM Moradabad Railway Division, Aditya Gupta says, “… In view of the increasing crowds for Holi, the Moradabad Railway Division… pic.twitter.com/zF73LTHnAG
— ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2026
It is a small margin, but Gupta described it as a relief measure during a period when fares and demand tend to rise together. He also noted that additional trains may be introduced if required.
Routes covered: Delhi, Gorakhpur, Bihar and Howrah corridors
The special trains will halt at major stations within the division, such as Moradabad, Bareilly, Shahjahanpur, Haridwar and Yoganagari Rishikesh.
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Movement patterns, according to railway officials, show strong passenger flow in multiple directions during Holi:
Eastward toward Patna, Muzaffarpur and Howrah
Westward toward Sabarmati and Ahmedabad
Southward toward Yeshwantpur in Bengaluru
Regular traffic toward Delhi and Punjab
“Our important stations like Rishikesh, Dehradun, Haridwar, Moradabad and Bareilly see heavy movement,” Gupta said, adding that eastern corridors toward Muzaffarpur and Howrah witness significant crowding every year.
Timings and schedules are available on the RailOne app, while live running status can be checked through the National Train Enquiry System (NTES), Gupta said.
Festival travel pressure
Passenger movement from Delhi and western Uttar Pradesh toward eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar typically peaks within a short span of days.
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The Moradabad division handles substantial traffic during festival periods. Gupta noted that booking trends are being monitored closely. If demand continues to build in the days leading up to March 4, more services may be added.
For now, passengers have been advised to check availability early and plan ahead.
