Economy AC class in 'fastest' train
KOLKATA : The Sealdah-New Delhi Duronto Express, when it is flagged off from Sealdah by railway minister Mamata Banerjee on September 18, will create history in more ways than one. Not only will it be the fastest long-distance train (as far as time taken is concerned), the day will also see the introduction of a new class of travel in Indian Railways. Apart from the normal AC-I, II and III tiers, the train will also have an economy AC-III-tier' class.
Senior officers believe this class may finally replace non-AC sleeper class reserved coaches in all long-distance trains. The time may not be all that far off when most long-distance trains in the country will be fully air-conditioned. Those travelling sleeper class today would get to enjoy air-conditioned travel by paying slightly more.
The 2259/2260 Sealdah-New Delhi Duronto will cover 1,454 km in 16 hours and 30 minutes. The Rajdhani covers the same distance in 18 hours. Officials said this would be possible as the Duronto would not have any commercial stops. It would only have three technical stoppages for change of crew. The Sealdah Rajdhani has six commercial stoppages midway.
"The Duronto rakes will comprise ICF coaches used in the Rajdhanis and Garib Raths earlier. The Garib Raths had AC-III tier coaches that could accommodate more passengers than usual. Now that they are being used in Duronto, it has been decided to keep the fares lower in these compartments (than AC-III). If this experiment succeeds, we may have more such coaches in other trains," a senior official said.
The Sealdah-New Delhi Duronto will have one AC-I tier, three AC-II tier, four AC-III tier and five economy AC-III tier coaches besides pantry and generator cars. It will leave Sealdah at 6.40 pm on Thursdays and Sundays and reach New Delhi at 11 am the next day. The Down train will leave New Delhi at 8.05 pm on Fridays and Mondays and reach Sealdah the next day around 12.25 pm. The fares will be much lower than the Rajdhani.
KOLKATA : The Sealdah-New Delhi Duronto Express, when it is flagged off from Sealdah by railway minister Mamata Banerjee on September 18, will create history in more ways than one. Not only will it be the fastest long-distance train (as far as time taken is concerned), the day will also see the introduction of a new class of travel in Indian Railways. Apart from the normal AC-I, II and III tiers, the train will also have an economy AC-III-tier' class.
Senior officers believe this class may finally replace non-AC sleeper class reserved coaches in all long-distance trains. The time may not be all that far off when most long-distance trains in the country will be fully air-conditioned. Those travelling sleeper class today would get to enjoy air-conditioned travel by paying slightly more.
The 2259/2260 Sealdah-New Delhi Duronto will cover 1,454 km in 16 hours and 30 minutes. The Rajdhani covers the same distance in 18 hours. Officials said this would be possible as the Duronto would not have any commercial stops. It would only have three technical stoppages for change of crew. The Sealdah Rajdhani has six commercial stoppages midway.
"The Duronto rakes will comprise ICF coaches used in the Rajdhanis and Garib Raths earlier. The Garib Raths had AC-III tier coaches that could accommodate more passengers than usual. Now that they are being used in Duronto, it has been decided to keep the fares lower in these compartments (than AC-III). If this experiment succeeds, we may have more such coaches in other trains," a senior official said.
The Sealdah-New Delhi Duronto will have one AC-I tier, three AC-II tier, four AC-III tier and five economy AC-III tier coaches besides pantry and generator cars. It will leave Sealdah at 6.40 pm on Thursdays and Sundays and reach New Delhi at 11 am the next day. The Down train will leave New Delhi at 8.05 pm on Fridays and Mondays and reach Sealdah the next day around 12.25 pm. The fares will be much lower than the Rajdhani.
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