Considering the heavy rush during "Durga puja" season, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has introduced "Puja special" trains between Guwahati-Kolkata and also between Dibrugarh-Kolkata.
According to a report in The Assam Tribune, two special trains will make round trips from Guwahati in Assam to Howrah in Kolkata. The service will be available once in a week from 10 October to 28 November.
The report mentioned a statement from the NFR that stated special train number 02502 would start from Guwahati every Saturday at 9.40 pm and reach Howrah station the next day at 1.35 pm. This special train will be available on 10, 17, 24 and 31 October and on 7, 14, 21 and 28 November.
Passengers can have the return journey from Kolkata to Guwahati in special train number 02501, which will depart from Howrah every Sunday at 2.15 pm and reach Guwahati the next day at 7.45 am. This train will run on 11, 18 and 25 October and 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 November.
The special train will run via Goalpara, New Coochbehar, New Jalpaiguri, Malda and Bolpur both ways. Passengers can choose among AC first class, AC 2-tier, AC 3-tier, sleeper class and general class accommodation.
A similar service will be available for passengers who want to travel from Dibrugarh to Kolkata. Special train number 05942 will commence its journey from Dibrugarh every Sunday at 10 pm and arrive in Kolkata every Tuesday at 6.15 am. This train will run on 11, 18 and 25 October and on 1, 8, 15 and 22 November.
Similarly, special train number 05941 will return from Howrah to Dibrugarh. It will start from Kolkata every Tuesday at 7.40 am and will reach its destination every Wednesday at 6 pm. Journey dates for this train are 13, 20 and 27 October and on 3, 10, 17 and 24 November.
This train will cross New Tinsukia, Mariani, Dimapur, Lumding, Hojai, Guwahati, Rangiya, New Coochbehar, New Jalpaiguri, Malda, Rampurhat, Bolpur and Barddhaman both ways. The accommodation facility includes AC 2-tier, AC 3-tier, sleeper class and general class.
The report stated that bookings for these Puja special trains have already started.
