Indore Bureau
Summary: Travelling home for Diwali and Chhath is set to get easier for passengers in Madhya Pradesh, with three special train arrangements running through the state. The Indore-Mumbai Central special will now run three days a week instead of two, a Hubballi-Khatipura weekly special will halt at Ratlam, and a Gorakhpur-Bandra Terminus weekly special will begin on 9 November. Together, these trains will help handle the festive rush through Diwali, Chhath and Dev Uthani.
Passengers preparing to travel home for Diwali and Chhath Mahaparv have received welcome news from the railways, with three special train arrangements announced for routes connected to Madhya Pradesh. These include more trips on the Indore-Mumbai Central special, a new weekly special between Hubballi and Khatipura (Jaipur), and a weekly special between Gorakhpur and Bandra Terminus. All three arrangements are aimed at giving extra seats and convenient timings to passengers during the festive season, when demand for tickets rises sharply. The Western Railway’s Ratlam division has released the details of these trains. Passengers have been advised to check the live status of their train before starting their journey, as timings and halts can change during the festival period.
Indore-Mumbai Central special: now three days a week
The special train between Indore and Mumbai will now run more often. Earlier, the train ran two days a week in each direction; from 5 November 2026, it will run three days a week. Train number 09080, the Indore-Mumbai Central special, will run from Indore on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. In the return direction, train number 09079, the Mumbai Central-Indore special, will leave Mumbai Central on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. The train will run from Indore until 30 November and from Mumbai Central until 29 November. Booking for the additional trips opened on 30 October, so passengers can already reserve their seats. The extra trip matters for passengers travelling between Indore and Mumbai, because demand for tickets on this route is at its highest around Diwali. An additional weekly trip should ease some of the pressure on waiting lists.
Hubballi-Khatipura weekly special: halt at Ratlam
The second arrangement is a new weekly special train between Hubballi in Karnataka and Khatipura near Jaipur in Rajasthan. The train will pass through Ratlam station in Madhya Pradesh, giving passengers from the state a direct benefit. Train number 07371, the Hubballi-Khatipura special, will run every Saturday from 31 October to 5 December 2026. It will leave Hubballi at 11:50 pm on Saturday and reach Ratlam at 3:30 am on Monday. It will then reach Chittorgarh at 7:30 am and Khatipura at 2:40 pm on Monday. In the return direction, train number 07372, the Khatipura-Hubballi special, will run every Monday from 2 November to 7 December 2026. It will leave Khatipura at 8:45 pm, reach Chittorgarh at 3:30 am on Tuesday and Ratlam at 7:05 am, and arrive at Hubballi at 9:30 am on Wednesday. The train will have AC two-tier, AC three-tier, AC three-tier economy, sleeper and second-class coaches. In both directions, it will halt at Gadag, Hole Alur, Badami, Bagalkot, Almatti, Basavan Bagewadi Road, Vijayapura, Indi Road, Solapur, Daund, Pune, Lonavala, Kalyan, Vasai Road, Vapi, Valsad, Udhna, Vadodara, Godhra, Ratlam, Chittorgarh, Bhilwara, Bijaynagar, Nasirabad, Ajmer, Kishangarh and Jaipur stations.
Gorakhpur-Bandra Terminus weekly special: from 9 November
The third arrangement has been made keeping in mind the rush for Chhath Puja and other festivals. From 9 November 2026, the railways will run a weekly special train between Gorakhpur and Bandra Terminus. The train will make two trips in each direction and will halt at Ratlam, Kota, Surat, Vadodara, Gonda and Basti, among other stations. Train number 05091, the Gorakhpur-Bandra Terminus weekly special, will leave Gorakhpur at 9:55 pm every Monday, on 9 and 16 November, and reach Bandra Terminus at 12:00 noon on Wednesday. At Ratlam station, it will arrive at 10:25 pm and depart at 10:30 pm on Tuesday. In the return direction, train number 05092, the Bandra Terminus-Gorakhpur weekly special, will leave Bandra Terminus at 1:45 pm every Wednesday, on 11 and 18 November, and reach Gorakhpur at 11:55 pm on Thursday. At Ratlam station, it will arrive at 11:30 pm and depart at 11:35 pm on Wednesday. In both directions, the train will halt at Borivali, Vapi, Surat, Vadodara, Ratlam, Bhawani Mandi, Kota, Gangapur City, Idgah Agra, Tundla, Kanpur Central, Aishbagh, Badshahnagar, Gonda and Basti stations. The train will have AC two-tier, AC three-tier, sleeper and second-class general coaches. The train will be especially useful for passengers travelling to Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh for Chhath, as it connects Ratlam directly with Gorakhpur.
Safety in trains during festivals: firecrackers and inflammable items barred
Safety on trains and at railway stations is also being tightened during the festival season. The railways have made it clear that carrying firecrackers, petrol, diesel, gas cylinders and other inflammable materials during travel is not allowed. Carrying such items in a train is against the rules and dangerous for all passengers. Checks at stations are increased during festivals, and action is taken against those who break the rules. Passengers have been asked not to keep any such item in their luggage and to cooperate with checks at stations. Passengers buying firecrackers for Diwali should especially note that carrying firecrackers in a train is unsafe and prohibited by the rules.
Ticket booking and checks before travel
Tickets for all three special trains can be booked at all PRS reservation counters and on the IRCTC website. During festivals, tickets fill up fast, so passengers have been advised to book as soon as their travel date is fixed. Before starting a journey, the live status of the train can be checked on the railway’s official website, NTES and the railway helpline. This gives advance information about any change in timing, platform or halt. The same reservation rules apply to special trains as to regular trains, so travelling without a ticket should be avoided. Families travelling with senior citizens, women and children have been advised to reach the station early, as crowds are heavier during festivals.
What changes for passengers in Madhya Pradesh
From Madhya Pradesh’s point of view, all three arrangements directly benefit passengers from Indore and Ratlam. Passengers travelling from Indore to Mumbai will get one additional trip every week, improving the chance of getting a ticket around Diwali. The two weekly special trains passing through Ratlam will connect passengers from the Malwa-Nimar region directly with cities such as Jaipur, Ajmer, Kota, Surat, Vadodara, Gorakhpur and Mumbai. The Ratlam division has been increasing train trips during festivals, and this time too the step has been taken keeping Diwali, Chhath Puja and Dev Uthani Gyaras in mind. Passengers returning home for the festivals, as well as those going back to work after the festivals, will both benefit.
What next: facility to continue through Diwali, Chhath and Dev Uthani
These special trains will run until the end of November and the beginning of December, covering the entire festive period of Diwali, Chhath and Dev Uthani Gyaras. Diwali falls on 8 November, and Chhath Mahaparv will be observed from 13 to 16 November, with Nahay-Khay on 13 November, Kharna on 14 November, Sandhya Arghya on 15 November and Usha Arghya on 16 November. The Gorakhpur-Bandra special, starting on 9 November, will therefore be available in time for Chhath passengers. Passengers have been advised to choose the right train for their travel date and not to delay booking. If a ticket is not available on one train, another special train or a nearby date can be considered. The railways may announce more trains during the festival season, so keeping an eye on new information will be useful.
Disclaimer: This news has been prepared on the basis of available sources and verification. If any fact is found to be incorrect, a correction will be published.
