Northern Railway has announced temporary changes to train operations in Prayagraj as the city prepares to host the Magh Mela. Services to Prayagraj Sangam railway station will be suspended on selected snan days and on the day before and after each key bath day to manage the influx of devotees and ensure safety.
Prayagraj train diversions and affected services
The advisory covers the period from 2 January to 16 February, with the principal snan days falling on 3, 14, 18 and 23 January and on 1 and 15 February. On those dates the Sangam station, which lies about 1.5 kilometres from the confluence where pilgrims bathe, will not handle arrivals or departures. Kuldeep Tiwari, Senior Divisional Railway Manager of Northern Railway’s Lucknow Division, said the station becomes heavily crowded, often with lakhs of people, and closing it briefly is intended to prevent chaos and protect passengers.
Trains originally scheduled to call at Prayagraj Sangam will be routed to Phaphamau and Prayag junctions. Departures that would have left from Sangam will operate from Prayag junction on the days Sangam is closed. Passengers holding bookings for Sangam will be permitted to deboard at Phaphamau or Prayag, both of which are within the city, and those boarding on affected days should use Prayag junction.
Affected services include eight passenger trains and four MEMU short and medium distance services that run to and from Ayodhya, Jaunpur, Ghazipur and Kanpur Anwarganj. Nine express trains will terminate at Phaphamau and Prayag on snan days. Examples of affected express services are the Lucknow-Prayagraj Sangam Intercity Express (14210), Ganga Gomti Express (14216), Saryu Express (14234) and Nauchandi Express (14242). Most of these originate within Uttar Pradesh, with one service arriving from Haridwar.
Railway officials have emphasised that passengers will receive information about changes at origin stations and will be guided on arrival at the alternative stations. Travellers are urged to verify train status via the National Train Enquiry System app or by dialling 139 before starting their journey.
In parallel, Northern Central Railway’s Prayagraj division has planned additional halts at Prayag station to handle higher passenger volumes. Between 1 January and 20 February, 22 trains will be granted an extra two-minute stop at Prayag to ease boarding and alighting. The list includes long-distance services such as the Indore-Varanasi Superfast Express, Purva Express, Chennai Central-Chhapra Superfast Express and several trains from Mumbai and southern India, including Lokmanya Tilak-Gorakhpur Express and Yesvantpur-Lucknow Express.
Day-time premium services are also affected. Vande Bharat services running between Prayagraj and Gorakhpur will have scheduled stops to accommodate pilgrim movement. Other long-distance trains including the Kamayani Express, Antyodaya Express and Gandhinagar Capital-Varanasi Express will observe temporary halts throughout day and night under the revised plan.
Rail authorities say these temporary arrangements aim to maintain punctuality across the network while managing the significant surge in passengers during the Magh Mela. Passengers who require assistance are advised to contact staff at origin stations or the alternative stations in Prayagraj, and to confirm platform and running information shortly before travel.
Key Takeaways:
- Prayagraj train diversions in force from 2 January to 16 February during Magh Mela with main snan days listed.
- Northern Railway will suspend operations at Prayagraj Sangam station a day before and after key bath days; trains will be diverted to Phaphamau and Prayag junctions.
- Nine express services and several passenger and MEMU trains will be affected; passengers advised to check NTES or call 139.
- Additional two-minute halts at Prayag station for 22 trains from 1 January to 20 February to manage pilgrim flows.
