Indian Railways Announces Special Train Service
The Indian Railways has announced a new special express train connecting Amritsar Junction (ASR) in Punjab to Ayodhya Dham Junction (AY) in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Holi festival 2026. The special service aims to offer pilgrims and general passengers a convenient travel option to visit the sacred city of Ayodhya.
Designated as Train No. 04684 – Amritsar–Ayodhya Dham Express Special, the service will depart Amritsar on March 5, 2026 at 2:30 PM and is expected to reach Ayodhya Dham the following day on March 6 at around 10:35 AM after covering more than 1,000 km.
Schedule and Key Route Details
The special express train will start from Amritsar and make scheduled stops at major stations including Jalandhar City, Ludhiana, Dhuri Junction, Patiala, and Ambala Cantt, before reaching Saharanpur by the evening. From Saharanpur, the train will proceed via Muradabad and Lucknow to Ayodhya Dham.
The journey covers an approximate distance of 1,038 kilometres and spans over 20 hours of travel time, providing multiple class options including sleeper and reserved seating arrangements.
Return Journey Plans
For the return journey, the train will leave Ayodhya Dham on March 7, 2026 at 5:30 PM and follow the same major stops en route back to Amritsar. During both trips, the service is expected to facilitate easy boarding and deboarding for passengers at key stations along the route.
Pilgrim Convenience During Festival Season
Railway officials have stated that launching this special train in the festival season will help manage the expected surge in passenger traffic. The Holi festival period typically sees a significant increase in travel demand, especially among pilgrims and family travellers visiting religious destinations like Ayodhya.
This initiative comes alongside Indian Railways’ broader plans to introduce multiple special trains during Holi and other peak travel periods to relieve congestion and provide better travel infrastructure for the public.
