Rail passengers travelling during the Shravani Mela, Raksha Bandhan and the upcoming festive season will get additional travel options as Indian Railways has announced two pairs of weekly special trains between Kanpur Central-Kolkata and Agra Cantonment-Kolkata to manage the expected surge in passenger traffic.
The special services shall have stoppages at Gaya Junction, and these services will benefit the passengers travelling from Gaya, Aurangabad, Nawada, Jehanabad and from all over South Bihar to Kolkata, Kanpur, Agra, and many cities in Uttar Pradesh.
Weekly Special Train Schedule
According to the Railways, train number 04157 Kanpur Central-Kolkata Special will run every Tuesday from July 21 to September 29, 2026. In return, 04158 Kolkata-Kanpur Central Special will run every Wednesday from July 22 to September 30, 2026.
Similarly, train number 01911 Agra Cantonment-Kolkata Special will run every Thursday from 23rd July to 24th September 2026, and 01912 Kolkata-Agra Cantonment Special will run every Friday from July 24 to September 25, 2026.
Key Stoppage
Both trains will stop at Gaya Junction, as well as at major stations such as Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Junction, Sasaram, Koderma, Parasnath, Gomoh, Dhanbad, Asansol, Durgapur, Bardhaman, Bandel, and Naihati. This will provide significant convenience to passengers travelling between Bihar and West Bengal.
According to railway officials, there is a long waiting list for trains from Gaya Junction towards Kolkata, Kanpur, Agra and Delhi during Shravani Mela and festivals.
At such a time, operation of these additional special trains will reduce the pressure on regular trains and will increase the chances of passengers getting confirmed tickets.
The special trains are likely to benefit pilgrims, students, working professionals and business travellers commuting between Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.
Railways Issues Advisory
Passengers have been advised to check train schedules, stoppages, reservation status and other travel-related information through the official Indian Railways website, the Rail Madad app or by calling the railway helpline 139 before commencing their journey.
Railway authorities also said that additional special trains may be introduced depending on passenger demand during the festive period.