Every Kolkatan knows the two weekends before Durga Puja belong to shopping. Gariahat footpaths fill up by noon, New Market lanes slow to a shuffle, and Hatibagan turns into one long queue for sarees and kurtas. Metro Railway, Kolkata has now confirmed it will add trains to match that rush.
In an announcement on Tuesday, September 29, Metro Railway said it will run additional services on the Blue, Green and Yellow Lines on the four pre-Puja weekend days: Saturday, October 3; Sunday, October 4; Saturday, October 10; and Sunday, October 11. The first and last train timings will stay exactly as they are now, so the extra trains go into the day to cut the gap between services.
How Many Extra Trains, Line by Line
On Saturdays (October 3 and 10)
- Blue Line (the north-south corridor from Dakshineswar): 272 services (136 up, 136 down) instead of the usual 252.
- Green Line (Howrah Maidan to Salt Lake Sector V): 236 services (118 up, 118 down) instead of 212.
- Yellow Line (Noapara to Jai Hind Bimanbandar): 120 services (60 up, 60 down) instead of 92, the biggest jump in percentage terms.
On Sundays (October 4 and 11)
- Blue Line: 188 services (94 up, 94 down) instead of 152.
- Green Line: 125 services (62 up, 63 down) instead of 111.
- Yellow Line: reports indicate the regular Sunday timetable will continue on this corridor.
Metro said the Purple Line will run its normal schedule, and there is no change to the Orange Line’s usual weekend pattern.
Why This Matters for Puja Shoppers
The Blue Line is the backbone of Puja shopping in Kolkata. It links almost every big market in a single ride: Shyambazar and Shobhabazar for Hatibagan, Esplanade and Park Street for New Market and the Chowringhee stalls, and Kalighat and Rabindra Sarobar for Gariahat. On a regular Sunday, trains on this line run noticeably less often than on weekdays, so the jump from 152 to 188 Sunday services is the most useful part of this plan for shoppers.
The Green Line now carries Howrah and Sealdah commuters straight into Esplanade, which means families coming in from the suburbs for a day of shopping can skip the bus and taxi scramble altogether. If you are planning a trip to the Esplanade stalls, our Esplanade street shopping guide covers what to buy and where.
The second weekend also lines up with Mahalaya on October 10, when the state’s official Puja launch programme is expected to draw big crowds in central Kolkata (read our report on the Mahalaya 2026 celebrations at Eden Gardens). Expect Esplanade, Maidan and Park Street stations to be especially busy that day.
Practical Tips for Riding the Metro on Shopping Weekends
- Go early. The first train timings are unchanged, and markets are far easier before 12 noon than after 4 pm.
- Buy a smart card or use a QR ticket in advance so you skip the token queue at busy stations like Esplanade and Kalighat.
- Check the last train time before you start. The last services are not being extended on these days, so plan your return accordingly.
- Keep shopping bags in front of you in crowded coaches, and keep phones and wallets in a zipped inner pocket.
- Use the Esplanade interchange carefully. The walk between the Blue and Green Line platforms gets packed at peak hours, so allow extra time.
- Travel light if you are with elderly family members or children, and agree on a meeting point at the station in case you get separated.
Frequently Asked Questions
On which dates will Kolkata Metro run extra services before Durga Puja 2026?
On Saturday, October 3; Sunday, October 4; Saturday, October 10; and Sunday, October 11, 2026.
Will the first and last Metro timings change?
No. Metro Railway said the timings of the first and last services on all these days will remain unchanged. The additional trains are added in between.
Which lines get additional trains?
The Blue and Green Lines get extra trains on both Saturdays and Sundays. The Yellow Line gets extra trains on the two Saturdays. The Purple Line runs normally.
Will there be special night services during the Puja days?
Separate Puja-day arrangements, if any, are usually announced closer to the festival. Keep an eye on Metro Railway, Kolkata’s official channels for updates.
The Bottom Line
If your Puja shopping list is still long, the next two weekends are your window, and the Metro is making it a little easier. Twenty more trains on the Blue Line on Saturdays and 36 more on Sundays mean shorter waits at the busiest shopping stations. Leave early, keep your ticket ready, and let the Metro do the heavy lifting while you do the bargaining. For planning the pandal days that follow, see our Durga Puja pandal-hopping guide.
Sources: Metro Railway, Kolkata announcement dated September 29, 2026 (as published by IBG News), with details cross-checked against reports by PTI (via ThePrint), UNI and Millennium Post.
Featured image: A metro train crossing an elevated viaduct, photo by Prasun Mishra on Unsplash.
