Indian Railways Launches Two Amrit Bharat Express Trains from UP on April 28, 2026

Indian Railways is introducing two new Amrit Bharat Express trains from Uttar Pradesh on 28 April 2026, aimed at passengers from lower and lower-middle income groups. The services promise facilities similar to the Vande Bharat Express, while keeping fares accessible on long-distance routes linking Uttar Pradesh with Maharashtra.

The first new service will connect Banaras with Hadapsar near Pune, and the second will run between Ayodhya Cantt and Mumbai's Lokmanya Tilak Terminus. Both trains are expected to ease congestion on popular corridors, strengthen connectivity between the two states, and offer daily travel options with reserved and unreserved coaches.

Amrit Bharat Express trains: Indian Railways route and coach composition details

For the Banaras-Hadapsar corridor, the Amrit Bharat Express will run daily after its launch. The inaugural special from Banaras on 28 April 2026 has been numbered 02531. This train will have 22 coaches in total, including 8 Sleeper Class, 11 General Class, 2 SLR coaches and 1 pantry car for onboard catering.

The Ayodhya Cantt-Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Amrit Bharat Express will also use a 22-coach rake with the same configuration. The inaugural run on 28 April 2026 will operate as train number 02212 from Ayodhya Dham. Regular services will be numbered 22111 and 22112 when the schedule starts after the flagged-off trip.

Amrit Bharat Express train timings for Banaras-Hadapsar

North Central Railway's Chief Public Relations Officer Shashi Kant Tripathi announced the first service. In a statement, Tripathi said: "The Railway Administration has decided to introduce the new Banaras-Hadapsar-Banaras Amrit Bharat Express (Daily) for the convenience of passengers; the inaugural run of this service will take place from Banaras on April 28, 2026."

On the inaugural day, train number 02531 will depart Banaras at 16:45 hrs and reach Hadapsar at 00:55 hrs. During this journey, the train will stop at 18 intermediate stations, helping passengers board from key junctions in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra along the east-west route.

The detailed halt pattern for the Banaras-Hadapsar Amrit Bharat Express inaugural service, train number 02531, is given below. Timings are based on information shared by Indian Railways and are listed as arrival and departure in 24-hour format for each stoppage, from origin to final destination.

Amrit Bharat Express trains: Indian Railways schedule for Ayodhya-LTT

Indian Railways has shared similar information for the Ayodhya Cantt-Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Amrit Bharat Express. Tripathi stated: "The Railway Administration has decided to operate the new Amrit Bharat Express (Train Nos. 22111/22112) between Lokmanya Tilak Terminus and Ayodhya Cantt for the convenience of passengers. This service is scheduled to be inaugurated on April 28, 2026, from Ayodhya Dham Station."

During the inaugural run on 28 April 2026, train number 02212 will start from Ayodhya Dham at 16:45 hrs and arrive at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus at 21:05 hrs. The train will pass through 12 intermediate stations, creating a direct affordable link from Ayodhya and eastern Uttar Pradesh to Mumbai's suburban terminus.

The halt pattern on the first Ayodhya Cantt-LTT Amrit Bharat Express service includes important junctions in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The complete list of stations for train number 02212, with planned arrival and departure times released by Indian Railways, is presented in the table below for passengers planning their journey.

The Amrit Bharat Express initiative aims to give passengers an experience closer to modern premium trains, while keeping focus on affordable long-distance travel. With regular services planned as daily trains, the Banaras-Hadapsar and Ayodhya Cantt-LTT routes are likely to support heavy commuter and pilgrim traffic between Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.