To accommodate the heavy surge of passengers during the ongoing festive season, railway authorities have announced the extension of special train services and the augmentation of coaches on key routes.
These temporary adjustments are designed to provide much-needed relief and extra berths for travelers heading home for the holidays.
Extension of Sambalpur–Santragachi Special Trains
To ensure seamless connectivity between Odisha and West Bengal, the special train services operating between Sambalpur and Santragachi have been extended for two additional trips in each direction.
The revised schedule is as follows:
- 08303 Sambalpur–Santragachi Special: Will operate every Wednesday from November 4 to November 18, 2026.
- 08304 Santragachi–Sambalpur Special: Will operate every Thursday from November 5 to November 19, 2026.
Extra AC Coaches for Tejas Rajdhani Express
In addition to the extended special trains, railways will temporarily augment four major trains connecting Bhubaneswar and New Delhi with one additional AC Three-Tier coach. This move targets the high waitlist numbers typically seen on the capital-bound premium trains during November.
The extra AC-3 Tier coaches will be attached on the following specified dates:
- 20817 Bhubaneswar–New Delhi Tejas Rajdhani Express: November 7, 2026
- 20818 New Delhi–Bhubaneswar Tejas Rajdhani Express: November 8, 2026
- 22823 Bhubaneswar–New Delhi Tejas Rajdhani Express: November 10, 2026
- 22824 New Delhi–Bhubaneswar Tejas Rajdhani Express: November 11, 2026
Railway officials urge passengers to take advantage of these enhanced accommodations and book their tickets early to avoid last-minute disappointments during the peak festive travel window.
