Shatabdi Express
Anubhuti coach of Ahmedabad - Mumbai Central Shatabdi Express.
Overview
Service typeSuperfast
StatusActive
First service14 November 1988; 35 years ago (1988-11-14)
SuccessorVande Bharat Express
Current operator(s)Indian Railways
Websitehttp://indianrail.gov.in
On-board services
Class(es)Executive Chair Car
AC Chair Car
Seating arrangementsYes
Catering facilitiesOnboard catering
Baggage facilitiesOverhead racks, baggage area near vestibule
Technical
Rolling stockLHB coach
Track gauge5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge
Operating speedMaximum 110–150 km/h (68–93 mph)
Track owner(s)Indian Railways

Shatabdi Express (lit. 'Century Express') are a series of fast passenger trains operated by Indian Railways. Shatabdi Express are day trains and mostly return to their origin station the same day. The trains were first introduced in 1988 and were named 'Shatabdi', meaning 'century', to commemorate the birth centenary of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The trains run at a maximum permissible speed of 110–150 km/h (68–93 mph) with the Rani Kamalapati–New Delhi Shatabdi Express achieving the maximum permissible speed of 150 km/h (93 mph) between Tughlakabad and Agra Cantt.

History

The name "Shatabdi" means century in Sanskrit and the first Shatabdi Express train was announced on 10 July 1988 by then Railways Minister Madhavrao Scindia to commemorate the birth centenary of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India and plied between New Delhi and Jhansi Junction.[1]

Service

Interior view of an AC chair car coach

Shatabdi Express trains offer fast connectivity between major cities with only a few intermediate stops and can run at a maximum speed of 150 km/h (93 mph).[2][3][4] They are fully air-conditioned and passengers are provided with on-board catering.[5] Onboard entertainment systems are available in select trains providing content via satellite.[6]

Seats in Shatabdi Express have to be reserved in advance as there is no unreserved accommodation, unlike most of the other trains in India.[7] Reservation is allowed until up to 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time and the seats are auto allocated by the reservation system.[8][9] Dynamic pricing is applicable on the fares.[10]

Rolling stock

Exterior of a standard chair car coach

As Shatabdi Express are day-trains and return to the station of origin the same day, coaches have only seats and not berths. All of these trains have multiple AC Chair Car coaches and one or two coaches of Executive Class seating. Indian Railways offers Anubhuti class seating and Vistadome coaches offering large windows, transparent roofing, and rotatable seats in select trains.[11] The trains used to operate on specialized coaches manufactured by Integral Coach Factory, Chennai with the older coaches now been replaced with newer LHB rakess on all the trains.[12] The trains are hauled by various diesel or electric locomotives and a new specialized high speed locomotive class WAP-7HS with a maximum speed of 180 km/h (110 mph) for hauling Shatabdi express trains was introduced in 2019.[13]

Services

Active

As of December 2023, there are 21 operational pairs of Shatabdi express trains.[14]

List of active services
Sr. no. Route Train no. Originating Station Terminal Station Operator Distance Duration Avg Speed (Km/h) Year introduced Stops
1 Rani Kamlapati (Habibganj) – New Delhi 12001/12002 Rani Kamalapati (Habibganj) New Delhi NR 709 km (441 mi) 8h 35m 83 km/h (52 mph) 1988 Bhopal Jn., Lalitpur Jn., Jhansi Jn., Gwalior Jn., Morena, Dholpur Jn., Agra Cantt., Mathura Jn.
2 Lucknow–New Delhi 12003/12004 Lucknow Jn. New Delhi NR 512 km (318 mi) 6h 45m 76 km/h (47 mph) 1989 Kanpur Central, Phaphund, Etawah Jn., Tundla Jn., Aligarh Jn., Ghaziabad Jn.
3 New Delhi–Kalka 12005/12006 New Delhi Kalka NR 269 km (167 mi) 4h 0m 67 km/h (42 mph) 1992 Panipat Jn., Kurukshetra Jn., Ambala Cantt. Jn., Chandigarh Jn.
4 MGR Chennai Central–Mysuru 12007/12008 MGR Chennai Central Mysuru Jn. SR 497 km (309 mi) 7h 0m 71 km/h (44 mph) 1994 Katpadi Jn., KSR Bengaluru
5 Mumbai Central–Ahmedabad 12009/12010 Mumbai Central Ahmedabad Jn. WR 493 km (306 mi) 6h 20m 78 km/h (48 mph) 1994 Borivali, Vapi, Surat, Bharuch Jn., Vadodara Jn., Anand Jn., Nadiad Jn.
6 New Delhi–Kalka 12011/12012 New Delhi Kalka NR 269 km (167 mi) 4h 0m 67 km/h (42 mph) 1994 Panipat Jn., Kurukshetra Jn., Ambala Cantt. Jn., Chandigarh Jn.
7 New Delhi–Amritsar 12013/12014 New Delhi Amritsar Jn. NR 448 km (278 mi) 6h 10m 73 km/h (45 mph) 1994 Ambala Cantt. Jn., Sirhind, Ludhiana, Phagwara, Jalandhar City Jn., Beas Jn.
8 New Delhi–Ajmer 12015/12016 New Delhi Ajmer Jn. NR 444 km (276 mi) 6h 45m 66 km/h (41 mph) 1995 Delhi Cantt., Gurgaon, Rewari Jn., Alwar Jn., Bandikui Jn., Gandhinagar, Jaipur Jn., Kishangarh
9 New Delhi–Dehradun 12017/12018 New Delhi Dehradun NR 314 km (195 mi) 6h 10m 51 km/h (32 mph) 1995 Ghaziabad Jn., Meerut City Jn., Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur Jn., Roorkee, Haridwar
10 Howrah–Ranchi 12019/12020 Howrah Jn. Ranchi Jn. ER 423 km (263 mi) 7h 10m 59 km/h (37 mph) 1995 Durgapur, Raniganj, Asansol, Dhanbad, Chandrapura, Bokaro Steel City, Muri
11 Pune–Secunderabad 12025/12026 Pune Jn. Secunderabad Jn. CR 597 km (371 mi) 8h 20m 72 km/h (45 mph) 2011 Solapur, Kalaburagi, Wadi Jn., Tandur, Vikarabad Jn., Begumpet
12 Chennai–Bengaluru 12027/12028 MGR Chennai Central KSR Bengaluru SWR 356 km (221 mi) 4h 55m 73 km/h (45 mph) 2005 Katpadi Jn., Bengaluru Cantt.
13 New Delhi–Amritsar 12029/12030 New Delhi Amritsar Jn. NR 448 km (278 mi) 6h 10m 73 km/h (45 mph) 1998 Ambala Cantt. Jn., Rajpura Jn., Ludhiana, Phagwara, Jalandhar City Jn., Beas Jn.
14 New Delhi–Amritsar 12031/12032 New Delhi Amritsar Jn. NR 448 km (278 mi) 6h 10m 73 km/h (45 mph) 1997 Ambala Cantt. Jn., Rajpura Jn., Ludhiana, Phagwara, Jalandhar City Jn., Beas Jn.
15 Kanpur Central–New Delhi 12033/12034 Kanpur Central New Delhi NCR 440 km (270 mi) 5h 20m 83 km/h (52 mph) 2010 Etawah, Aligarh, Ghaziabad Jn.
16 Kathgodam–New Delhi 12039/12040 Kathgodam New Delhi NR 282 km (175 mi) 5h 40m 50 km/h (31 mph) 2012 Haldwani, Lalkuan Jn., Rudrapur, Rampur, Moradabad, Ghaziabad Jn.
17 Howrah–New Jalpaiguri 12041/12042 Howrah Jn. New Jalpaiguri Jn. NFR 566 km (352 mi) 8h 30m 67 km/h (42 mph) 2012 Bardhaman Jn., Bolpur Shantiniketan, New Farakka Jn., Malda Town, Kishanganj
18 New Delhi–Chandigarh 12045/12046 New Delhi Chandigarh Jn. NR 244 km (152 mi) 3h 20m 78 km/h (48 mph) 2013 Ambala Cantt. Jn., Karnal
19 Naharlagun–Guwahati 12087/12088 Naharlagun Guwahati NFR 332 km (206 mi) 5h 45m 58 km/h (36 mph) 2017 Harmuti Jn., Viswanath Charali, Rangapara North Jn., Udalguri, Rangiya Jn.
20 MGR Chennai Central–Coimbatore 12243/12244 MGR Chennai Central Coimbatore Jn. SR 493 km (306 mi) 7h 5m 70 km/h (43 mph) 2011 Katpadi Jn., Jolarpettai Jn., Salem Jn., Erode Jn., Tiruppur
21 Howrah – Puri 12277/12278 Howrah Jn. Puri ECoR 500 km (310 mi) 7h 35m 66 km/h (41 mph) 2010 Kharagpur Jn., Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur Keonjhar Road, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar

Defunct

List of defunct services
Route Train no. Originating Station Terminal Station Year of Introduction Year of Termination Reference
Bangalore City – Hubli Jn. 2025/2026 Bangalore City Hubli Jn. 1995 1996 [15][16]
Chennai Central – Coimbatore Jn. 2023/2024 Chennai Central Coimbatore Jn. 1995 2000 [17][15]
New Delhi – Bathinda New Delhi Bathinda 2003 [18][19]
New Delhi – Bareilly New Delhi Bareilly 2003 [18][19]
Howrah – Tatanagar 2021/2022 Howrah Tatanagar 2003 [17][18][19]
Howrah – Patna 2023/2024 Howrah Patna Jn. 2001 2003 [20]
Mumbai – Pune 12027/12028 Mumbai CSMT Pune Jn. 1995 2004 [21][17]
Jaipur – Agra Fort 12035/12036 Jaipur Agra Fort 2012 2018 [22]
New Delhi – Ludhiana 12037/12038 New Delhi Ludhiana Jn. 2011 2019 [23][24]
New Delhi – Moga 12043/12044 New Delhi Moga 2012 2019 [25][26]
New Delhi – Firozpur 12047/12048 New Delhi Firozpur Cantt. 2014 2021 [27][28]
Guwahati – Dibrugarh 12085/12086 Guwahati Dibrugarh 2017 2020 [29]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Bharat train routes and India's busy election calendar". Indian Express. 14 October 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  2. ^ "'Shatabdi is the heart of Indian railways'". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 12 June 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  3. ^ "No halts, new Shatabdi Express to fly to Delhi". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 18 September 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  4. ^ "Trains faster than Rajdhani, Shatabdi on the cards". Economic Times. 23 January 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  5. ^ "From Vande Bharat to Rajdhani Express: Check list of top 10 fastest trains in India". News9. 28 September 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  6. ^ "Shatabdi Express is now 'Gold Standard'; Free movies on WiFi to clean toilets, 15 facts every rail passenger will love". Financial express. 6 November 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  7. ^ "Railways to also run AC trains from June 1; Shatabadis, Durontos to be restored". Hindustan Times. 21 May 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  8. ^ "Good news for Rajdhani Express, Shatabdi Express travellers! Book tickets even after chart preparation soon". Zee Business. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  9. ^ "Why IRCTC Does Not Allow Seat-Selection Option To Its Passengers". News18. 14 June 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  10. ^ "New-fare-scheme-for-Rajdhani-Shatabdi-from-15-March-2019-5.html". Mint. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  11. ^ "Vistadome coach promises scenic journey". The Hindu. 27 August 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  12. ^ "Safe and smooth Indian Railways travel! These trains to run with LHB rakes". Financial Express. 27 April 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  13. ^ "New Indian Railways locomotive runs at 180 kmph! Rajdhani, Shatabdi trains to get it soon". Financial Express. 19 August 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  14. ^ "India Rail timetable". Indian Railways. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  15. ^ a b Railway budget 1995-96 (PDF) (Report). Government of India. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  16. ^ Railway budget 1996-97 (PDF) (Report). Government of India. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  17. ^ a b c Lok Sabha debates (PDF) (Report). Government of India. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  18. ^ a b c "Cancellation of Shatabdi" (Press release). Indian Railways. 4 March 2003. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  19. ^ a b c "Three Shatabdi Expresses to be discontinued". The Times of India. 4 March 2003. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  20. ^ "Withdrawal of Shatabdi" (Press release). Indian Railways. 12 December 2004. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  21. ^ "Good news for Shatabdi commuters". The Times of India. 4 March 2004. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  22. ^ "No Jaipur to Agra Shatabadi train from May 1 onwards". The Times of India. 22 March 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  23. ^ "New Delhi–Ludhiana Shatabdi Express to be introduced on Nov 4". The Times of India. 29 October 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
  24. ^ "Ludhiana Shatabdi set to be history". The Times of India. 9 August 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  25. ^ "Shatabdi extended to Moga, twice a week". Hindustan Times. 28 March 2014. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  26. ^ "New Delhi–Moga Shatabdi Express". Indiarailinfo. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  27. ^ "New Delhi-Bathinda Shatabdi extended to Firozpur". The Hindu. 6 October 2016. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  28. ^ "Eight trains cancelled". Tribune India. 20 March 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  29. ^ "Guwahati–Dibrugarh Shatabdi Express". Indiarailinfo. Retrieved 1 December 2023.

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