Pune: In response to the increased passenger demand during the Christmas season, Central Railway has introduced a weekly special train service connecting Pune and Karmali. The move aims to ease the travel burden during this festive period.

The Pune-Karmali Weekly Special (Train No. 01407) will commence operations on December 25 and run three trips until January 8, 2025. The train is scheduled to depart from Pune every Wednesday at 5:10 AM and will reach Karmali the same day at 8:25 PM.

On the return journey, the Karmali-Pune Weekly Special (Train No. 01408) will also run three trips during the same period. It will leave Karmali every Wednesday at 10:20 PM and arrive in Pune the following day at 1:00 PM.

This special service will halt at multiple stations en route, including Chinchwad, Talegaon, Lonavala, Kalyan, Panvel, Pen, Roha, Mangaon, Khed, Chiplun, Sangameshwar Road, Ratnagiri, Kankavli, Sindhudurg, Kudal, Sawantwadi Road, and Tivim, catering to passengers from various regions.

Passengers planning their travel during this period are encouraged to book tickets early to secure their seats.

Daily, around 200 trains operate from Pune Division, accommodating between 150,000 and 200,000 passengers. The relatively affordable ticket prices continue to attract more travelers to the railways, with an increasing number of commuters opting for local and passenger trains every day.