Eastern Railway announces Puja special trains to North Bengal, Assam; ticket booking soon

Puja Special Trains 2026: Eastern Railway (ER) has announced special train services to North Bengal and Assam to meet the expected rush of passengers during the upcoming Puja, Diwali and Chhath festive season. According to ER, the special trains will run between Kolkata and New Jalpaiguri and Howrah and Lumding during October and November.

These additional services are aimed at providing more travel options to passengers during the busy festive period. According to ER, train number 03005 Howrah-Lumding Puja Special will depart from Howrah at 7:15 AM every Friday between October 16 and November 27, 2026.

The train will reach Lumding at 8:00 AM the following day. A total of seven trips will be operated. In the return direction, train number 03006 Lumding-Howrah Puja Special will leave Lumding at 11:00 AM every Saturday between October 17 and November 28 and reach Howrah at 12:30 PM the next day.

The train will stop at Bandel, Nabadwip Dham, Katwa, Azimganj, Jangipur Road, New Farakka and Malda Town, among other stations, in both directions. The service will have General Second Class, Sleeper Class and Air-conditioned coaches.

Eastern Railway will also operate train number 03129 Kolkata-New Jalpaiguri Puja Special every Saturday and Sunday between October 17 and November 29. The train will leave Kolkata at 11:10 PM and reach New Jalpaiguri at 10:45 AM the next day.

The return service, train number 03130 New Jalpaiguri-Kolkata Puja Special, will run every Sunday and Monday between October 18 and November 30. It will depart New Jalpaiguri at 12:45 PM and reach Kolkata at 12:40 AM the following day.

The train will stop at Naihati, Bandel, Nabadwip Dham, Katwa, Azimganj, Jangipur Road, New Farakka and Malda Town in both directions. This special train will also have General Second Class, Sleeper Class and Air-conditioned accommodation.

The passengers planning their Puja travel will have to wait for the booking announcement. According to the zonal railway, the date for opening ticket bookings for these special trains will be notified shortly. Once bookings open, passengers can check the availability and plan their journeys accordingly.

Anish Mondal is a journalist with over nine years of experience covering the railways and roadways. Currently a member of the Indianexpress.com editorial team, Anish specializes in high-impact sectors. Professional Journey Anish began his career at the public broadcaster Rajya Sabha Television (now Sansad TV), where he developed a foundational understanding of legislative processes and national governance.

In 2018, he transitioned to digital financial journalism at FinancialExpress.com, spending nearly six years refining his expertise in market trends and corporate reporting. Before joining The Indian Express in 2025, he served as a key contributor at ETNowNews.com.

Education & Expertise Anish’s reporting is backed by a rigorous academic background in communication and the humanities: Master of Journalism and Mass Communication (MJMC) – Apeejay Stya University Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Production (PGTVRJP) – Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication Bachelor of Arts (English Honours) – University of Calcutta Areas of Coverage Connectivity: Detailed reporting on the expansion of Indian Railways and National Highway networks.

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