Central Railway Launches 76 Winter Special Trains for Holiday Travel

Central Railway has announced the operation of 76 Winter Special train services to accommodate the increased passenger demand during the Christmas and New Year holiday season. These additional services will connect major cities such as Mumbai and Pune to various popular destinations, including Karmali, Nagpur, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Amravati, and Sanganer, from December 2025 to early January 2026.

The initiative aims to provide travellers with greater flexibility and options during this peak travel period. The Winter Special trains will run on various routes, with a focus on enhancing connectivity for holidaymakers.

Key Train Services and Schedule

Among the highlighted services, the Mumbai CSMT–Karmali route will see daily trains during the peak season. Specifically, Train 01151 will depart from CSMT at 00:20 on dates from December 19, 2025, to January 5, 2026, while Train 01152 will leave Karmali at 14:15 on the same dates.

Other notable services include:

– **LTT–Thiruvananthapuram North Weekly Specials**:
– Train 01171 departs from LTT on Thursdays.
– Train 01172 leaves Thiruvananthapuram North on Saturdays.

– **LTT–Mangaluru Junction Weekly Specials**:
– Train 01185 operates from LTT on Tuesdays.
– Train 01186 departs from Mangaluru Junction on Wednesdays.

– **CSMT–Nagpur Weekly Specials**:
– Train 01005 runs on Saturdays from CSMT.
– Train 01006 returns on Saturdays from Nagpur.

– **Pune–Nagpur Weekly Specials**:
– Train 01401 operates from Pune on Fridays.
– Train 01402 returns from Nagpur on Saturdays.

– **Pune–Sanganer Weekly Superfast Specials**:
– Train 01405 leaves Pune on Fridays.
– Train 01406 departs Sanganer on Saturdays.

– **Pune–Amravati Weekly Specials**:
– Train 01403 operates on Saturdays from Pune.
– Train 01404 returns from Amravati on Sundays.

Booking for these services will commence on Wednesday. The announcement was made by Dr. Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer of Central Railway, at a press briefing in Mumbai.

Infrastructure Developments and Future Plans

In a related development, Central Railway has faced speculation regarding potential upgrades for the Harbour line service, particularly following the issuance of a tender for the Sanpada car shed. Reports suggest that this upgrade could facilitate the introduction of 15-car trains on the Harbour line.

Central Railway is in the process of converting 20 existing 12-car rakes into 15-car configurations on the mainline, marking a significant capacity increase in over a decade. The planned upgrades will impact several routes, including CSMT-Karjat, CSMT-Khopoli, and CSMT-Kasara.

Officials have indicated that the introduction of 15-car trains would require modifications to overhead electrical equipment and adjustments to operational schedules, which could lead to longer clearance times and increased risks of cascading delays if not managed properly.

Despite the enthusiasm surrounding the upgrade, Central Railway officials have clarified that there are no immediate plans to extend Harbour line services to 15-car trains. An official stated, “The Harbour line has no space left for 15-car operations. Even transitioning from nine-car to 12-car platforms has been challenging, making further extensions infeasible.”

Public sentiment reflects a desire for improvements on the Harbour line. Commuters have expressed that enhancing punctuality and frequency should take precedence over increasing train lengths.

As the holiday season approaches, Central Railway’s Winter Special trains will provide essential travel options, demonstrating a commitment to accommodating the needs of passengers during one of the busiest times of the year.