Railways to run 18,262 summer special trains during peak travel period — Check dates, other details

Indian Railways will operate 18,262 special train trips between 15 April and 15 July 2026 to meet the surge in summer travel demand, the Ministry of Railways said on Thursday. So far, 11,878 trips have been confirmed.

In a statement, the ministry said, “During the peak summer travel period (15 April–15 July 2026), the Railways is planning to operate 18,262 summer special train trips to enhance connectivity and ease congestion.”

It added, “Till date, 11,878 train trips have been notified, and the remaining services are also being announced for the benefit of passengers. This large-scale deployment reflects a calibrated approach supported by improved rake availability, optimised scheduling, and continuous monitoring.”

Through this initiative, Indian Railways aims to strengthen connectivity between major metro cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai (including LTT, CSMT and Pune), Surat (including Udhna), Ahmedabad and Bengaluru, and the hinterland. As per the Ministry, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw held a meeting on Thursday to review the operation of summer special trains in New Delhi.

To improve on-ground arrangements and ensure a smoother boarding experience, the Railways has introduced a real-time crowd management system at Udhna station. This forms part of a broader national effort to provide passengers with safe, convenient and hassle-free travel.

Western Railway shared clips from Udhna station showing ticket checking staff and RPF personnel assisting passengers in boarding train number 19045 Udhna-Thawe Tapti Ganga Express by arranging them in orderly queues. The post states, “Considering the increasing crowds of passengers returning to their hometowns during the summer vacation, well-organized arrangements were made at Udhna Station.”

Vijayawada Railway Division registers a massive ₹10 crore ticket-checking revenue in April

In the first 22 days of April, the Vijayawada Railway Division of the South Central Railway Zone hit ₹10 crore mark in ticket-checking revenue.

Making it highest monthly earnings from ticket checking by any single division across the entire South Central Railway (SCR), it registered highest-ever ticket-checking revenue, PTI reported. "Vijayawada Division recorded ticket-checking earnings of ₹10 crore in April 2026 as of April 22, with seven days remaining in the month," press release dated 23 April said.

According to the press release, the revenue was generated from penalties related to ticketless travel, irregular journeys, and unbooked luggage.

In October last year, the highest earnings of ₹8.5 crore were recorded which fell short of the new record by ₹1.5 crore. The Vijayawada Division registered an annual ticket-checking revenue of over ₹76 crore for FY26, leading in the SCR Zone.