What is the Amrit Bharat Express?
Launched as a new category of superfast passenger trains, the Amrit Bharat Express is designed to cater to the common person, particularly migrant labourers and those seeking budget-friendly travel options. These are non-air-conditioned trains focused
on connecting cities that are over 800 kilometres apart or involve journeys longer than ten hours. The core idea is to provide a significant upgrade over conventional mail and express trains without the premium cost of services like Vande Bharat. By targeting high-density corridors, these trains aim to reduce overcrowding and offer a more comfortable and dignified travel experience for millions of passengers undertaking long journeys across India.
Key Features and Passenger Benefits
What sets the Amrit Bharat Express apart is its use of modern technology to improve comfort and speed. The trains employ a 'push-pull' configuration, with a locomotive at each end, which allows for faster acceleration and deceleration, reducing overall travel time. For passengers, this translates to a smoother, jerk-free journey thanks to semi-permanent couplers connecting the coaches. Inside, the coaches feature cushioned luggage racks and seats, mobile charging sockets for every passenger, and better lighting. Safety and hygiene have also been prioritized, with CCTV cameras in every coach, sealed gangways to prevent dust and noise, and modern bio-vacuum toilets with sensor-based taps.
Route 1: Dhanbad to Coimbatore
This newly approved weekly service provides a vital long-distance link between the mining hub of Dhanbad in Jharkhand and the industrial city of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. The route is designed to traverse a significant portion of the country, passing through several states. Key stops along this extensive journey include Gaya, Prayagraj, Jabalpur, Nagpur, Vijayawada, Tirupati, and Salem, offering connectivity to major religious, commercial, and transport hubs in central and southern India.
Route 2: Charlapalli to Gorakhpur
Connecting Telangana's Charlapalli (near Hyderabad) with Gorakhpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh, this service will bridge southern and northern India. This weekly train is expected to serve a large number of passengers travelling between these regions for work and family reasons. The route passes through major cities such as Nagpur, Bhopal, Jhansi, Kanpur, and Lucknow, creating an essential corridor for passengers from Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
Route 3: Prayagraj to Udhna (Surat)
This service will enhance connectivity between the holy city of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh and the commercial hub of Udhna in Gujarat, which is part of the Surat metropolitan region. It will benefit passengers across four states by passing through key locations in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat. Important stations on this route include Kanpur, Agra, Kota, and Ratlam, providing a new and affordable option for travellers on this busy corridor.
Route 4 & 5: Two New Trains to Mumbai
The high-demand corridor between Uttar Pradesh and Mumbai gets a significant boost with two new services from the Prayagraj region. The first is the Prayagraj-Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) Amrit Bharat Express, which will run via a direct route through Satna, Jabalpur, and Itarsi. The second is the Subedarganj-Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) Amrit Bharat Express, which takes a slightly different path via Banda, Satna, Jabalpur, and Nashik Road. Subedarganj is a key station in the Prayagraj area, and together these trains will provide much-needed capacity for passengers heading to the financial capital.
Route 6 & 7: Gorakhpur Becomes a Major Hub
Gorakhpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh is the starting point for two of the seven new services. The first is the Gorakhpur-Delhi Amrit Bharat Express, a new weekly option for passengers travelling to the national capital. This train will stop at important stations like Basti, Gonda, Sitapur, and Moradabad. The second service is the Gorakhpur-Bandra Terminus (Mumbai) Amrit Bharat Express. This train will cater to the massive passenger flow between eastern UP and Mumbai, running via Kanpur, Agra Fort, Kota, Ratlam, Vadodara, and Surat.
