Indian Rail runs 18,262 specials

Indian Railways says it will operate 18,262 summer special train trips between April 15 and July 15, 2026, to absorb the annual holiday rush. (pib.gov.in) The Ministry of Railways said the plan covers 908 special trains across the network, with extra services aimed at high-demand corridors during the three-month peak season. (pib.gov.in) (infra.economictimes.indiatimes.com) The government said 11,294 of those trips had already been notified when it announced the plan, so passengers could start booking some services before the full schedule is rolled out. (pib.gov.in) Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw separately reviewed the summer deployment with officials in New Delhi as stations and routes prepare for heavier passenger flows. (sarkaritel.com) (newkerala.com) Summer is one of Indian Railways’ most compressed travel periods, with school vacations and family travel pushing up bookings, waiting lists and crowding on long-distance routes. (indiatoday.in) (cnbctv18.com) The 18,262 figure refers to trips, not 18,262 separate train sets. Indian Railways and local zones typically announce these seasonal services in batches as operating slots, rakes and demand patterns firm up. (pib.gov.in) (eastcoastrail.indianrailways.gov.in) Zone-level notices already show the pattern: East Coast Railway has posted summer and temporary special-train circulars for routes including Puri, Patna, Pune and Visakhapatnam. (eastcoastrail.indianrailways.gov.in) The immediate test is whether the added capacity cuts waitlists on the busiest routes before the May and June holiday peak fully hits. (pib.gov.in) (cnbctv18.com)