For the second week of May 2026, Indian Railways has notified several new “Summer Special” services and regularized some popular routes to help with the heavy vacation rush.
Here is the list of new and extended trains announced this week in a simple format:
1. Western Railway (Focusing on Gujarat/Maharashtra)
- Mumbai Central – Vatva (Ahmedabad) AC Superfast:
- Train No: 09081/09082
- Schedule: Every Thursday (from Mumbai) and Friday (from Vatva).
- Route: Stops at Surat, Borivali, Vapi, and Vadodara.
- Why it’s great: It’s an overnight AC service, perfect for weekend travel without missing work.
- Mumbai Central – Katihar Weekly Special (Extended):
- Train No: 09189/09190
- New Date: Now extended until late July 2026 to help those traveling toward Bihar.
2. South Central Railway (New Regular Trains)
- Secunderabad – Anakapalle Weekly Express:
- Train No: 17043/17044
- Start Date: May 18, 2026 (from Anakapalle) and May 24, 2026 (from Secunderabad).
- Note: This was a “Special” train that is now a permanent regular train due to high demand.
- Guntakal – Markapur Road Daily Passenger:
- Train No: 57407/57408
- Start Date: May 13/14, 2026.
- Route: A new daily service connecting smaller towns in Andhra Pradesh.
3. North/East Bound Specials (For Summer Rush)
- LTT Mumbai – Varanasi Weekly Special:
- Train No: 04225/04226
- Schedule: Every Friday from Mumbai (starting May 22).
- LTT Mumbai – Sultanpur Weekly Special:
- Train No: 04211/04212
- Schedule: Every Thursday from Mumbai (starting May 21).
- Vatva – Mumbai Central Special:
- Train No: 09082
- Schedule: Friday nights from Vatva (Ahmedabad area), arriving in Mumbai Saturday morning.
Summary of Benefits
- 900+ Summer Specials: Total approved trains for the season have crossed 900, running over 18,000 trips.
- Current Booking: Most of these “Special” trains have higher vacancy rates than regular trains like the Rajdhani or Express.
- Waitlist Relief: If your main ticket to Lucknow is waitlisted, check for these “Special” train numbers (usually starting with ‘0’) on the IRCTC app—they often have confirmed seats available.
Pro-Tip: Since you are in Surat, the Mumbai-Vatva AC Superfast (09081/82) is a very convenient option for local trips to Ahmedabad or Mumbai if you need a last-minute seat.