Howrah Rajdhani
Encyclopedia
Howrah Rajdhani was the first fully air-conditioned
train
, as well as the first Rajdhani
train. It was first operated in the year 1969. At that time, it only had an AC Chair Car seating (A class of seating in Indian railways). Also, it reduced the travel time from Delhi
to Howrah (Kolkata
) from 24 hours to 17 hours. The train is the 6th fastest in India
(according to the data provided in the Indian Railways' Official Website).
Based the popularity of the Howrah Rajdhani, the Sealdah Rajhani line was opened (Sealdah
is another railway station in Kolkata).
The trains have high priority on the Indian railway network and are fully air-conditioned. Passengers are provided with complimentary meals during the journey. Depending on the timing of the train, lunch, high tea, dinner, morning tea or breakfast are served. The trains offer three classes of accommodation: First Class AC with 2 or 4 berth lockable bedrooms, Second Class AC 2-tier with open system berths (bays of 4 berths + 2 berths on the side) but provided with curtains for privacy & reading lamps, Second Class AC 3-tier (bays of 6 berths + 2 berths on the side) with privacy curtains in some newer coaches. Interestingly, this Rajdhani boasts of the maximum number of AC 2-Tier coaches among any other train of Indian Railways, with 5 AC 2-tier coaches. Generally it has 2 First AC, 5 AC 2-Tiers, up to 10 AC 3-Tiers ( both of which may be increased according to demand), 2 AC Hot Buffet Cars (i.e. Pantry Cars) & 2 Luggage/Parcel cum Generator cum Brake van one of which is provided with the Guards' cabin.
, Gaya
, and Parasnath. It also connects the financial capital of Uttar Pradesh
, Kanpur, to Delhi and Kolkata.
The train follows two routes. The train runs the first route, Grand Chord
via Gaya, from Monday through Saturday (from Howrah), and the second route, Howrah-Delhi main line
via Patna, on Friday.
On this route, the train covers a distance of 1,446 km in 17 hr and 10 min.
On this route, the train covers a distance of 1,530 km in 19 hr and 50 min.
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
, as well as the first Rajdhani
Rajdhani Express
Rajdhani Express is a passenger train service in India connecting New Delhi with other important destinations, especially state capitals. Rajdhani means "The Capital" in Hindi.- History :...
train. It was first operated in the year 1969. At that time, it only had an AC Chair Car seating (A class of seating in Indian railways). Also, it reduced the travel time from Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
to Howrah (Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
) from 24 hours to 17 hours. The train is the 6th fastest in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
(according to the data provided in the Indian Railways' Official Website).
History
The Rajdhani Express was introduced 3 March 1969 to provide high-speed connections of up to 140 km/h (87 mi/h) (speed varied depending upon the particular track section) from New Delhi, the national capital, to different state capitals. In a few cases, the Rajdhani also ran to other important locations in the state.Based the popularity of the Howrah Rajdhani, the Sealdah Rajhani line was opened (Sealdah
Sealdah
Sealdah is one of the major train stations serving Kolkata in India, the others being Howrah Station, Shalimar Station and Kolkata Railway Station. Sealdah is one of the busiest rail stations in India and an important suburban rail terminal...
is another railway station in Kolkata).
Accommodations
Destinations
The train is an important link between Kolkata and New Delhi. It runs near some of the most holy sites in India, including AllahabadAllahabad
Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...
, Gaya
Gaya, India
Gaya is the second largest city of Bihar, India, and it is also the headquarters of Gaya District.Gaya is 100 kilometers south of Patna, the capital city of Bihar. Situated on the banks of Falgu River , it is a place sanctified by both the Hindu and the Buddhist religions...
, and Parasnath. It also connects the financial capital of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, Kanpur, to Delhi and Kolkata.
The train follows two routes. The train runs the first route, Grand Chord
Grand Chord
Grand Chord- also known as The Life line of India is a section of the Indian Railways and is one of the two parts of the main Delhi-Howrah route. It acts as a link between Sitarampur, and Mughal Sarai, Uttar Pradesh, and covers a stretch of 450 km...
via Gaya, from Monday through Saturday (from Howrah), and the second route, Howrah-Delhi main line
Howrah-Delhi main line
The Howrah-Delhi main line is a railway line connecting Delhi and Kolkata cutting across northern India. The railway line was opened to traffic in 1866 with the introduction of the 1 Dn/ 2 Up Mail.The first Rajdhani Express, the most prestigious train of the country, had its maiden run on this...
via Patna, on Friday.
First Route
The major stops on the first route are:- Howrah
- DhanbadDhanbadDhanbad features climate that is transitional between a humid subtropical climate and a tropical wet and dry climate. Summer starts from last week of March and ends in mid-June. Peak temperature in summer can reach 47oC. Dhanbad also receives heavy rainfall...
- Parasnath
- Gaya
- MughalsaraiMughalsaraiMughalsarai is a city and a municipal board in Chandauli district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Located around 10 km from Varanasi, it is an important railway junction of the Indian Railways. Once, it enjoyed the position of the largest railway marshalling yard of Asia...
- Allahabad
- Kanpur
- New DelhiNew DelhiNew Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
On this route, the train covers a distance of 1,446 km in 17 hr and 10 min.
Second Route
The major stops on the second route are:- Howrah
- Madhupur
- JasidihJasidihJasidih is a city and a notified area in Deoghar district in the Indian state of Jharkhand.-Geography:Jasidih is located at . It has an average elevation of 260 metres ....
- Patna
- Mughalsarai
- Allahabad
- Kanpur
- New Delhi
On this route, the train covers a distance of 1,530 km in 19 hr and 50 min.
See also
- Fastest trains in India
- List of named passenger trains of India