IRCTC Special Trains Amidst Coronavirus Lockdown

After almost two months of suspending train services, Indian Railways has started to reinstate the train services slowly from May 12th, 2020. The train ticket will be available for booking from Monday at 4 pm on the online portal of IRCTC. According to the guidelines provided by Indian Railways, travelers are expected to be at the station at least 90 minutes prior to the departure time to board the special route Rajdhani trains.

IRCTC Special Trains during Lockdown

How many Special trains will operate?

This train introduction is starting with just 15 pairs, all starting from New Delhi railway station, covering different routes. With 15 destinations, 30 train routes will be operating at special timings.

What are the Special Trains Route and list?

Train RoutFrequencyStarting date of serviceDeparture timeArrival timeRoute
Howrah – New DelhiDaily12-05-202017:0510:00Asansol, Dhanbad, Gaya, Pt. Dd Upadhyaya, Prayagraj, Kanpur Central
New Delhi- Howrah Daily 13-05-2020 16:55 09:55 Asansol, Dhanbad, Gaya, Pt. Dd Upadhyaya, Prayagraj, Kanpur Central
Rajendra Nagar – New Delhi Daily 12-05-2020 19:20 07:40 Patna, Pt.Dd Upadhyaya, Prayagraj, Kanpur
New Delhi – Rajendra Nagar Daily 13-05-2020 17:15 05:30 Patna, Pt.Dd Upadhyaya, Prayagraj, Kanpur
Dibrugarh– New Delhi Daily 14-05-2020 21:10 10:15 Dimapur, Lumding, Guwahati, Kokrajhar, Mariani, New Jalpaiguri, Katihar, Baraun, Danapur, Pt. DdUpadhyaya, Prayagraj, and Kanpur Central
New Delhi- Dibrugarh Daily 12-05-2020 16:45 07:00 Dimapur, Lumding, Guwahati,Kokrajhar, Mariani, New Jalpaiguri, Katihar, Baraun, Danapur, Pt. DdUpadhyaya, Prayagraj, and Kanpur Central
New Delhi – Jammu Tawi Daily 13-05-2020 21:10 05:45 Ludhiana
Jammu Tawi – New Delhi Daily 14-05-2020 20:10 05:00 Ludhiana
Bengaluru – New Delhi Daily 12-05-2020 20:30 05:55 Anantapur, Guntakal, Secunderabad, Nagpur, Bhopal, and Jhansi
New Delhi - Bengaluru Daily 12-05-2020 21:15 06:40 Anantapur, Guntakal, Secunderabad, Nagpur, Bhopal, and Jhansi
Thiruvananthapuram– New Delhi Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 15-05-2020 19:45 12:40 Ernakulam, Kozhikode, Mangalore, Madgaon Jn, Panvel, Vadodara Jn, and Kota
New Delhi – Thiruvananthapuram Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday 13-05-2020 11:25 05:25 Ernakulam, Kozhikode, Mangalore, Madgaon Jn, Panvel, Vadodara Jn, and Kota
Chennai Central – New Delhi Friday and Saturday 15-05-2020 06:35 10:30 Vijayawada, Warangal Jn, Nagpur, Bhopal, Jhansi station, and Agra
New Delhi – Chennai Central Wednesday and Friday 13-05-2020 16:00 20:40 Vijayawada, Warangal Jn, Nagpur, Bhopal, Jhansi station, and Agra
Bilaspur – New Delhi Monday, Thursday 14-05-2020 14:40 10:55 Raipur, Nagpur, Bhopal Jn, and Jhansi
New Delhi - Bilaspur Tuesday and Saturday 12-05-2020 16:00 12:00 Raipur, Nagpur, Bhopal Jn, and Jhansi
Ranchi – New Delhi Thursday, Sunday 14-05-2020 17:40 10:55 Pt. Dd Upadhyaya, Kanpur Central
New Delhi - Ranchi Wednesday and Saturday 13-05-2020 16:55 08:45 Pt. Dd Upadhyaya, Kanpur Central
Ahmedabad – New Delhi Daily 12-05-2020 18:20 8:00 Palanpur, Abu Road, Jaipur Jn, and Gurgaon
New Delhi -Ahmedabad Daily 13-05-2020 20:25 10:05 Palanpur, Abu Road, Jaipur Jn, and Gurgaon
Agartala – New Delhi Monday, Wednesday 18-05-2020 19:00 11:20 Badarpur, Guwahati, Kokrajhar, N.Jalpaiguri, Katihar, Barauni, Patliputra, Pt.Dd Upadhyaya, and Kanpur Central
New Delhi - Agartala Wednesday 20-05-2020 19:50 13:30 Badarpur, Guwahati, Kokrajhar, N.Jalpaiguri, Katihar, Barauni, Patliputra, Pt.Dd Upadhyaya, and Kanpur Central
Bhubneshwar – New Delhi Daily 13-05-2020 10:00 10:45 Balasor, Hijli, Tatanagar Jn, Bokaro St City, Pt. Dd Upadhyaya, and Kanpur Central
New Delhi - Bhubneshwar Daily 14-05-2020 17:05 17:25 Balasor, Hijli, Tatanagar Jn, Bokaro St City, Pt. Dd Upadhyaya, and Kanpur Central
New Delhi - Madgaon Friday and Saturday 15-05-2020 11:25 12:50 Ratnagiri, Panvel Jn, Surat, Vadodara, and Kota
Madgaon – New Delhi Monday and Sunday 17-05-2020 10:30 12:40 Ratnagiri, Panvel Jn, Surat, Vadodara, and Kota
Secundarabad – New Delhi Wednesday 20-05-2020 13:15 10:40 Nagpur, Bhopal, and Jhansi
New Delhi - Secundarabad Sunday 17-05-2020 16:00 14:00 Nagpur, Bhopal, and Jhansi
Mumbai Central – New Delhi Daily 12-05-2020 17:30 09:05 Surat, Vadodara Jn, Ratlam, and Kota
New Delhi – Mumbai Central Daily 13-05-2020 16:55 08:45 Surat, Vadodara Jn, Ratlam, and Kota

When will the Special Trains booking start?

Online bookings have started on the 11th May, 2020. Each train will run with full capacity. The waiting list is not allowed during this lockdown period. After the booking was open, in just three hours, 54 thousand tickets were booked.

Can I book the Special Train tickets through an agent?

The train tickets have to be booking only through IRCTC mobile apps and the online portal. The manual over-the-counter booking will be closed. Booking through travel agents is not allowed (both private and IRCTC approved agents). Tatkal and premium tatkal services are banned during this lockdown period.

What will be IRCTC special trains fare?

The train fare would be similar to the price of Rajdhani Train’s premium fares. The catering charge will be deducted as the meal services are not open.

How to book IRCTC special trains ticket?

The travelers have to create an account in the online portal of IRCTC or register with the mobile app.  Choose the destination of your choice and the available train that you choose to board. Fill in the personal details and travel details to move on to the payment page. Only those with a confirmed ticket for the day will be allowed to get into the station.

What precautions and guidelines should the passengers have to follow?

  • Every passenger should wear a face mask or cover.
  • Mandatory screening for the virus at the departure station
  • Asymptomatic travelers will only be allowed to board
  • Senior citizens and students concession will not be allowed
  • You cannot reimburse complimentary passes, and concessional tickets will not be allowed
  • Bulk booking and BPT bookings will not be permitted.
  • Point to point ticket bookings will only be allowed.
  • Passengers have to reach the departure station 90 minutes prior.
  • IRCTC has recommended downloading Aarogya Setu app (not a necessary condition)
  • Social distancing norms should be followed

What services will be available on the Special trains?

  • IRCTC has introduced dry ready-to-eat food and packaged water on-board (not included in the train fare).
  • Passengers have to bring their own bedsheets, pillow, and blankets. Due to the restrictions brought forward by Coronavirus, there is a lack of resources and human labor. Moreover, using your items without sharing helps to contain the disease to a greater extent.
  • Hand sanitizer will be available in the coaches and at the stations
  • Due to the unavailability of adequate staff, the housekeeping staff might not be present in many trains starting from New Delhi.
  • For precautions, a heavy COVID screening will be conducted at all the stations. You need a confirmed ticket to enter the station.
  • Due to lack of labor, the toilets might not be cleaned

Will pantry service be available in Special Trains?

There will be no pre-paid meal or e-catering services. The ticket cost will not include the catering charge. Dry food, ready-to-eat packages (like biscuits), and water will be available.

Will ticket cancellation be permitted?

Yes, ticket cancellation is available via online portal. Tickets can be canceled before 24 hours from the departure time. The cancellation fee is 50% of the total fare.

Are these separate from Shramik Specials, and will there be more trains?

Based on the demand of people in the upcoming days, there might be new trains or additional coaches added to the route. 20,000 train coaches are allowed for COVID-19 isolation care. The Shramik Special is reserved for migrant transportation and it will not be interfered during these new train routes.

FAQS Related to IRCTC Special Train

Q. How many special trains are allocated during COVID lockdown?

A. 15 trains are allowed for to-and-fro (30 routes) journies, all starting from New Delhi.

Q. How to book tickets for the special trains during COVID?

A. The tickets can be booked via the online portal and mobile app. Counter booking and booking via agents are not allowed.

Q. What are the arrival and departure times for the special trains?

A. The train from New Delhi to Bhubaneswar, Dibrugarh, Mumbai, Kolkata, Patna, Ahmedabad, Jammu Tawi, and Bengaluru would run daily. Trains from New Delhi to Bilaspur, Chennai, Ranchi and Madgaon run twice a week. Trains to Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) runs thrice a week.

Q. Can passengers visit a station in another district for trains?

A. Inter-district travel and inter-city travel are banned as of now. Thus, passengers can only board trains only from their resident destination.

Q. What is the fare of tickets on the special trains?

A. The fares of the trains are similar to Rajdhani Express. Only AC coaches are allocated, and catering charges will not be added.

Q. Does the special trains operate in the red-zone areas?

A. Yes, trains stop at red-zone areas too. Travelers can reach the railway station in the re-zone area. However, in containment areas, citizens will not be allowed to travel from their homes to the railway station.

Q. Can one get down at any station on the way in the special trains?

A. Passengers can de-board only in the stations where the trains stop. The list of stoppage destinations will be very less, as the trains run similar to Rajdhani Express.

Q. Who can enter the railway stations during COVID lockdown?

A. Only those who have a valid ticket for the day can enter the station. The passengers should be wearing a face mask while in the station.

Q. Who can board the special trains during COVID lockdown?

A. Those with a valid ticket should undergo screening at the station. Only the asymptomatic travelers can board the train.

Q. Should passengers download Aarogya Setu app to book train tickets?

A. The travelers are recommended by the Railway Ministry to download the app, however it doesn’t help to book the train tickets.

Q. Will food be served on the special trains during COVID lockdown?

A. Catering services are stopped, and thus, meals cannot be ordered. However, dry food, ready-to-eat food packages, water bottle and others are sold in the trains.