Archive · 5 Sep 2026
North Bengal Train Cancellations Drive Up Bus Fares
Heavy rain damaged railway tracks near New Farakka in Murshidabad.
Because of this, many trains from Calcutta to north Bengal were cancelled.
Thousands of people had to wait for other ways to travel.
Many passengers chose buses, but some private buses charged much more than usual.
The government added extra buses between Calcutta and Siliguri.
Some passengers were worried they would miss holidays, bookings, or work deadlines.
Railway workers were repairing the damaged tracks.
Eastern Railway hoped trains would start running again on Saturday.
Officials said passenger safety was the main priority.
Almost all north Bengal trains were cancelled after railway tracks subsided near New Farakka in Murshidabad.
Thousands of passengers were stranded in Calcutta, with further cancellations expected on Saturday.
Private bus fares reportedly rose to more than double normal prices on some routes.
The state government added 23 buses between Calcutta and Siliguri and introduced other special services.
Eastern Railway said restoration work was progressing and trains could resume from Howrah and Sealdah on Saturday.
- Who
- Thousands of passengers, Eastern Railway, and state transport authorities were affected or involved.
- What
- North Bengal trains were cancelled after part of the railway track subsided, causing bus fares and demand to rise.
- When
- The disruption began after heavy rain early Thursday; cancellations continued on Friday and were expected to affect Saturday services.
- Where
- The track damage occurred near New Farakka station in Murshidabad, while passengers were stranded in Calcutta.
- Why
- Soil beneath the tracks subsided, making railway operations unsafe and requiring restoration work.
Officials’ Response
Passengers’ Experience
Restoration timeline
Officials’ Response
Eastern Railway said repair work was progressing and expected trains, including the NJP-bound Vande Bharat, to operate Saturday.
Passengers’ Experience
Passengers faced repeated cancellations and uncertainty over reaching Siliguri, Darjeeling, Bihar, and other destinations on time.
Bus fares
Officials’ Response
The state government added buses and asked district magistrates to coordinate with private operators and prevent unreasonable fares.
Passengers’ Experience
Travellers said private operators were charging at will, with reported fares exceeding twice the usual cost on some journeys.
- Damage location
- A portion of track subsided near New Farakka station in Murshidabad.
- Affected trains
- Almost all trains to north Bengal were cancelled on Friday, with many cancellations expected Saturday.
- Bus fare impact
- Some passengers reported paying more than double usual fares, including ₹1,000 per person for a non-sleeper bus.
- Additional buses
- Twenty-three additional buses were operating on the Calcutta-Siliguri route.
- Other services
- Extra services were added on the Durgapur-Balurghat, Calcutta-Balurghat, and Malda-Calcutta routes.
- Expected rail restoration
- Eastern Railway said trains from Howrah and Sealdah to north Bengal were expected to resume Saturday.
- Safety priority
- Eastern Railway said safety and swift restoration were its priorities during the adverse weather.