New Delhi–Patna Vande Bharat Special passengers have a scheduled festival-season service on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. Train 02252 is listed to depart New Delhi at 8:35 a.m. India Standard Time and arrive in Patna at 9:30 p.m., according to published Northern Railway schedule details. Travelers must check the actual train status and reservation availability before leaving for the station.
Key points
- Train 02252, the reserved New Delhi–Patna Vande Bharat festival special, is scheduled to depart New Delhi on October 21.
- The published schedule lists a departure at 8:35 a.m. IST and arrival at Patna at 9:30 p.m. IST, with six intermediate stops.
- Passengers should confirm their travel date, seat availability, fare, and running status through IRCTC or official railway enquiries before departure.
What changed
The reserved Vande Bharat festival special adds an option on the high-demand Delhi–Bihar route during the Dussehra, Diwali, and Chhath travel period. Northern Railway’s reported schedule covers train 02252 from New Delhi to Patna and train 02251 in the reverse direction. The services had special departures earlier in October; October 21 is another scheduled date, not the first train ever on this route.
On the New Delhi to Patna run, reported intermediate stops are Aligarh Junction, Kanpur Central, Prayagraj Junction, Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction, Buxar, and Ara. The published duration is about 12 hours and 55 minutes. These station times represent an announced schedule, not live confirmation that the train is on time today.
Context
The return service, train 02251, is scheduled to leave Patna at 10:00 a.m. IST on its notified operating dates and arrive in New Delhi at 11:30 p.m. Reports describe a limited festival schedule rather than an everyday regular service. Check the particular date first: a train operating on one Wednesday does not mean it runs every Wednesday throughout the year.
The Indian Express published the two train numbers and Northern Railway timetable, including a weekday pattern and the six stops. NDTV separately reported the service following a statement from East Central Railway’s chief public relations officer. Readers may encounter inconsistent summaries of the final service date, so the official live enquiry system should decide a specific future journey.
Why it matters
Passengers traveling to Bihar for upcoming celebrations can use the train number to check availability, departure details, and any rescheduling. Bookings for reserved seats can be checked through the official IRCTC booking website or authorized passenger reservation counters. For the actual departure, consult the National Train Enquiry System or call railway enquiry number 139.
Check the train number and boarding station on the ticket; the names of similarly branded specials can be confusing during festival periods. Keep a buffer for security and station crowds, and do not rely on an unverified social-media timetable or a claim that a seat is guaranteed.
Our earlier Rail Jan Samvaad passenger guide covers another rail-service announcement; it is separate from this train’s reservations. The immediate value here is a checkable train number and route, not a promise of seats.
Sources
The Indian Express — Northern Railway schedule and timetable, October 2026; NDTV — October 14, 2026 reported railway details; Financial Express — timetable and six stops, October 2026.
Reported October 21, 2026 (IST). This original travel explainer was prepared with AI assistance and checked against dated published railway reporting. Live train running status and available seats were not independently checked.
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