In view of the massive gathering of devotees during Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra 2026, the Indian Railways has made special arrangements to ensure smooth and convenient travel for pilgrims heading to Puri.
The East Coast Railway (ECoR) will operate more than 300 special trains during the festival period to manage the expected rush of devotees from different parts of Odisha and other states.
The special train services will particularly benefit devotees from western and southern Odisha, along with passengers travelling from other regions. According to ECoR, special trains will operate on key routes including Jagdalpur–Puri, Rayagada–Puri, Sambalpur–Puri and Shalimar–Puri.
Jagdalpur–Puri Special Train
Train No. 08553 will depart from Jagdalpur at 6 AM on July 15 and July 23 and will reach Puri at 1:40 AM the following day.
The return train, 08554, will leave Puri at 7:15 PM on July 16 and July 24 and reach Jagdalpur at 1:15 PM the next day.
The train will halt at major stations including Koraput, Jeypore, Kotpad, Rayagada, Gunupur, Paralakhemundi, Palasa and Khurda Road.
Shalimar–Puri Special Train
Train No. 08565/08566 will leave Shalimar at 6 PM on July 15 and July 23 and arrive at Puri at 6 AM the next morning.
The return service will depart from Puri at 12:30 AM on July 17 and July 25 and reach Shalimar at 1:30 PM the following day.
The train will stop at stations including Santragachi, Mecheda, Kharagpur, Belda, Dantan, Jaleswar, Basta, Rupsa, Balasore and Soro.
Apart from these services, special trains will also run on the Rayagada–Puri and Sambalpur–Puri routes on scheduled dates.
With lakhs of devotees expected to visit Puri from across the country for the world-famous Rath Yatra, the railway authorities have introduced these additional services to reduce passenger inconvenience and manage crowd pressure.
The special train arrangements are expected to make travel to Puri easier and more accessible for devotees participating in the grand chariot festival.