Railways Adds Seven New Amrit Bharat Express Routes
Indian Railways has approved seven new Amrit Bharat Express services, expanding long‑distance options across northern, central, western and southern parts of the country.
New routes link major cities
The announced trains will connect Dhanbad, Coimbatore, Gorakhpur, Mumbai, Delhi, Prayagraj and Udhna in Surat. Each service is positioned as a lower‑cost alternative to premium trains, offering a balance of speed and affordability for travelers covering long distances.
One of the routes, the Dhanbad‑Coimbatore line (train 2236322364), will depart Dhanbad on Saturdays and return from Coimbatore on Tuesdays. It will stop at Gaya, Sasaram, Prayagraj Chheoki, Jabalpur, Itarsi, Nagpur, Vijayawada, Nellore, Renigunta, Katpadi, Jolarpettai and Salem before reaching its southern terminus.
Another weekly service, the Charlapalli‑Gorakhpur Express (2207522076), will link Telangana to Uttar Pradesh. It runs Fridays from Charlapalli and returns on Sundays, passing through Kazipet, Peddapalli, Manchiryal, Nagpur, Betul, Itarsi, Bhopal, Bina, Jhansi, Kanpur Central, Lucknow, Gomti Nagar, Barabanki and Gonda.
Connections to the financial hubs
The Gorakhpur‑Bandra train (1508515086) will provide a direct link between Uttar Pradesh and Mumbai. Departing Gorakhpur on Fridays and returning from Bandra on Saturdays, it will call at Gonda, Kanpur Central, Agra Fort, Kota, Ratlam, Vadodara, Surat, Vapi, Palghar, Borivali and Bandra.
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Separately, the Gorakhpur‑Delhi Express (1509515096) will run twice a week, leaving Gorakhpur on Thursday and Friday with stops at Khalilabad, Basti, Gonda, Burhwal, Sitapur, Bareilly, Moradabad and Ghaziabad before reaching the capital.
In another weekly schedule, the Subedarganj‑Lokmanya Tilak service (1412114122) will travel from Subedarganj in Uttar Pradesh to Mumbai, touching Fatehpur, Govindpuri, Banda, Chitrakutdham Karwi, Satna, Katni, Jabalpur, Itarsi, Khandwa, Bhusaval, Nasik Road, Kalyan and Thane.
Additional Prayagraj links
The Prayagraj‑Udhna Express (2043720438) will connect Prayagraj with Gujarat’s Udhna, stopping at Fatehpur, Govindpuri, Etawah, Tundla, Agra, Bayana, Hindaun City, Gangapur City, Sawai Madhopur, Kota, Ramganj Mandi, Bhawani Mandi, Ratlam and Vadodara. It runs weekly, with the outbound journey on Fridays and the return on Saturdays.
Meanwhile, the Prayagraj‑Lokmanya Tilak Express (2043620435) offers a limited‑stop service to Mumbai, traveling via Satna, Jabalpur, Itarsi and Bhusaval before arriving at Kalyan in Maharashtra. This train also departs on Fridays and returns on Saturdays.
These additions bring the total number of Amrit Bharat Express trains to a figure that suggests a broader strategy to make long‑haul travel more accessible. While the schedule still leans heavily on weekly frequencies, the network now reaches farther south and west than before.
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For passengers, the practical effect is a more varied set of options when planning trips that previously required multiple changes or higher‑priced tickets. A traveler from Dhanbad to Coimbatore, for example, can now board a single train and avoid the hassle of switching at major junctions, an improvement that may encourage more people to choose rail over air travel for similar distances.
The rollout highlights Indian Railways’ aim to expand its premium‑tier services without raising fares dramatically. By positioning the Amrit Bharat Express as a “more affordable” alternative, it hopes to capture a segment of the market that seeks speed but is sensitive to cost.
Officials said the new services will commence operation later this year, pending final clearance of rolling stock and crew assignments. No specific launch dates were disclosed, but the timetable suggests a phased introduction aligned with the existing weekly schedule of other long‑distance trains.
They expect strong uptake.
