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Indian Railways is preparing to introduce nine new Amrit Bharat Express trains from West Bengal and Assam, which will improve affordable long-distance travel from eastern India to many major cities across the country. These new trains are expected to begin services within a week, according to the Ministry of Railways.
New Routes
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the details of the new routes on the social media platform X. The nine routes include Guwahati (Kamakhya)-Rohtak, Dibrugarh-Lucknow (Gomti Nagar), New Jalpaiguri-Nagercoil, New Jalpaiguri-Tiruchirappalli, Alipurduar-SMVT Bengaluru, Alipurduar-Mumbai (Panvel), Kolkata (Santragachi)-Tambaram, Kolkata (Howrah)-Anand Vihar Terminal, and Kolkata (Sealdah)-Banaras.
These trains will travel through highly populated states such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, helping a large number of passengers. At the same time, they will connect distant states like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, strengthening rail links between north, east, and south India.
Why are the New Services Beneficial?
The new services aim to support regions with a large migrant worker population and heavy long-distance travel demand. By running through Assam, Bihar, and West Bengal, these trains are designed to handle high passenger volumes, especially during festival seasons and peak migration periods. They will offer reliable and low-cost travel options for people travelling for work, education, and family reasons.
The Amrit Bharat Express was introduced in December 2023, and so far, 30 such trains are already running. These trains are non-air-conditioned sleeper and unreserved services, meant for long journeys. They offer a comfortable experience at a low cost, with fares of about ₹500 per 1,000 km. Compared to regular passenger trains, Amrit Bharat Express trains run at higher speeds and focus on connecting major cities with smaller towns, promoting affordable and inclusive travel.
The expansion comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to flag off six more Amrit Bharat Express trains on January 17 and 18, along with India's first Vande Bharat Sleeper Train. The trainsets are built by Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, costing ₹65 crore per train, with 22 coaches in each set, including passenger and parcel coaches.
