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Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced over 12,000 special trains for Bihar during Diwali and Chhath, including Vande Bharat Express and Buddha Circuit Train.
The decision aims to ease passenger movement during the festive rush, when demand for tickets soars. (Representational image)
In a significant move to improve festive travel, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday announced that over 12,000 trains will be operated for Bihar during Diwali and Chhath festivals this year.
The decision aims to ease passenger movement during the festive rush, when demand for tickets soars.
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Vaishnaw also announced several initiatives that the Railway Ministry has taken for the convenience of people of Bihar travelling to destinations across the country by train.
NDA सरकार बिहार के विकास के लिए प्रतिबद्ध है✅ दिवाली और छठ पूजा के लिए 12,000 स्पेशल ट्रेन सेवाएं✅ 4 नई अमृत भारत एक्सप्रेस ट्रेन✅ 1 नई वंदे भारत (पूर्णिया से पटना)✅ 1 बुद्ध सर्किट ट्रेन (वैशाली से कोडरमा) pic.twitter.com/Bnffbt93v8
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) August 20, 2025
He said that the Railway Ministry has also planned to launch a special Buddha Circuit Train from Vaishali, connecting key heritage destinations related to Lord Buddha. The train will cover Hajipur, Patliputra, Nalanda, Rajgir, Gaya, among other tourism spots.
The Railway Minister further said that a new Vande Bharat Express will be introduced between Purnea and Patna, and a new Amrit Bharat train will be launched to connect Delhi and Gaya for general class passengers.
The announcement came after Bihar NDA leaders met Vaishnaw in the national capital to review railway arrangements for the upcoming Diwali and Chhath festivals. The leaders presented the state’s urgent connectivity needs, while the Minister assured them of several important railway projects to enhance Bihar’s rail network.
आज नई दिल्ली में माननीय रेल मंत्री श्री @AshwiniVaishnaw जी से बिहार के वरिष्ठ नेतागण के साथ सार्थक मुलाकात हुई।उनसे बिहार की रेल कनेक्टिविटी से जुड़े विभिन्न महत्वपूर्ण योजनाओं पर विस्तृत चर्चा हुई। pic.twitter.com/0D4zwbsPPn
— Samrat Choudhary (@samrat4bjp) August 20, 2025
Earlier this month, the ministry rolled out an experimental “Round Trip Package for Festival Rush” scheme to ease congestion and improve travel experience during the upcoming festive season.
According to the notification, the Indian Railways will offer a 20 per cent rebate on the base fare of the return journey for passengers booking a round trip starting October 13. The scheme applies to onward travel between October 13 and 26, with the return journey falling between November 17 and December 1. Diwali falls on October 21 and Chhath Pooja on October 28, followed by the peak wedding season.
यात्रियों के लिए बड़ी खुशखबरी!रेलवे की ‘राउंड ट्रिप बुकिंग डिस्काउंट स्कीम’ मेंआने-जाने की टिकट साथ बुक करने पर 20% की छूट।
ऑफर अवधि –बुकिंग की शुरुआतः 14 अगस्त 2025 सेजर्नी टिकटः 13 अक्टूबर से 26 अक्टूबर, 2025रिटर्न टिकटः 17 नवंबर से 1 दिसंबर, 2025 pic.twitter.com/JHaPwzgIhs
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) August 9, 2025
The scheme aims to spread out passenger traffic during the festive season by incentivising early and structured booking of both onward and return journeys. It encourages balanced utilisation of trains from both directions during periods when one-way demand is much higher.
(With inputs from agencies)
About the Author
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben…Read More
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben… Read More
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