Central Railway adds 262 trains: The Ganpati travel rush is already showing

262 services

Central Railway is adding 262 special train services for the Ganpati rush, creating a much bigger travel window for passengers heading from Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur towards the Konkan region from September 9.

Seats disappearing

Regular trains can become almost impossible to book when festival travel peaks, but this year the railway has already recorded 117,682 confirmed bookings on 200 reserved special services, signalling just how intense the demand is.

Konkan rush

Sawantwadi Road gets the biggest share with 112 services, followed by Ratnagiri with 64 and Madgaon with 24. The numbers reveal where the annual Ganpati homecoming pressure is expected to be strongest.

Unreserved escape

For passengers who missed advance reservations, Central Railway is adding 62 unreserved services alongside the 200 reserved trains. The move could offer another route home as ticket demand accelerates before the festival.

Station scramble

The railway is preparing for crowds beyond the platforms, adding ticket counters, waiting areas, queue-management systems and extra RPF and ticket-checking staff. Passengers are also being advised to reach stations at least 30 minutes early.