Shatabdi Express
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Bhopal Shatabdi Express (second fastest train in India) | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Main Operation(s): | India 1988 - |
| Fleet size: | 22 |
| Parent company: | Indian Railways |
| Website: | U |
Shatabdi Express trains are a series of fast (called superfast in India) passenger trains operated by Indian Railways to connect Metro cities with other cities important for tourism, pilgrimage or business. Shatabdi Express are day-trains and they return to the station of origin the same day.
The Shatabdis along with The Rajdhani are among the fastest trains in India and the Indian Railways consider them as prestigious. The Shatabdi Expresses get second highest priority, after Rajdhani Expresses which gets highest priority. The Shatabdi Express trains run over short to medium distances while the Rajdhani Expresses and the Duronto Expresses are long-distance trains. Rajdhani Expresses connect the nation's capital New Delhi to capitals of states and other major cities while Duronto Expresses connect major cities to other major cities. All three series of trains have a maximum speed of about 130 km/h (81 mph). The 12001 Bhopal Shatabdi express, however, runs at a peak speed of 150 km/h (93 mph), which makes it the second fastest train in India after Gatimaan Express.
History
The word "Shatabdi" means centenary in Sanskrit, Hindi and several Indian languages. The first Shatabdi train was started in 1988 to commemorate the centenary of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru's Birthday (the First Prime Minister of India) & was flagged by Madhav Rao Scindia, minister for railways. The train was driven by Driver 'A' Grade Special Mr Jamshed Jehangirji Dick & Late Mr L . R Gahlot both Drivers belonging to Jhansi division. It operated from New Delhi Railway Station to Jhansi Junction, later extended to Bhopal. It is now known as the Bhopal Shatabdi Express.
Vehicle and rolling stock
The Bhopal Shatabdi is the second fastest train in India and it runs at an average speed of around 84 km/h (52 mph) (Please see : Fastest trains in India) between the origin and the destination though it runs at speeds at 150 km/h (93 mph) on some stretches between Agra and New Delhi stations. These trains are now using latest LHB Coaches to provide extra comfort in the train.
The New Jalpaiguri-Howrah Shatabdi is the fastest diesel hauled Shatabdi. It uses a WDP 4/WDP4B loco of Siliguri Diesel Loco Shed.
Service
Shatabdi Express trains offer fast connectivity with only a few intermediate stops. They are fully air-conditioned and of a much higher standard than most Indian trains. Shatabdi travelers are provided with bottled water, juice, coffee or tea, and meals relevant to time of day of the journey.
Shatabdi trains are also further distinguished from other trains, in terms of convenience in boarding and disembarking. Most stations give them priority berthing at the better platforms, such as ones located close to the station building or waiting halls (generally platform number 1 at most of the stations).
Berths and seats in Shatabdi Express, Duronto Express and Rajdhani Express trains have to be reserved in advance before boarding the train. There is no unreserved accommodation in these trains, unlike most of the other trains in India. A few Shatabdis have a current booking system where tickets can be booked within a couple of hours before departure.
As Shatabdi Express are day-trains and return to the station of origin the same day, coaches (called AC Chair Car or CC) on the train have only seats and not berths. All the Shatabdi Express trains have, however, one or two coaches of first class airconditioned seating. These coaches have wider leg room and offer better food compared to the normal Air conditioned seating (CC).
New on board entertainment systems have also been installed on some of these trains where the passengers can view movies and television serials directly via satellite. One of the first services to have this system is the Ahmedabad Shatabdi Express.
List of Shatabdi trains
Indian Railways operates 24 pairs of Shatabdi Express as of January 2016. These trains are listed here.
- Defunct
Related trains
A variant of the Shatabdi Express, Swarna Shatabdi Express, is considered more luxurious by Indian Railway. Indian Railways later introduced a lower-priced version Jan Shatabdi Expresses, which are nearly all without air-conditioning and much more affordable.
The former railway minister Laloo Prasad Yadav had also introduced Garib Rath (chariot of the poor). These are fast trains (like the Rajdhani and Shatabdi), are fully Air-Conditioned and with lower fares. These trains are quite successful and compete with low cost airlines on some long-distance routes.
Gallery
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Trainboard of 12027 Banglore Shatabdi Express
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Commonwealth Games livery coach of 12018 Dehradun Shatabdi Express
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Electronic Coachboard of 12017 Dehradun Shatabdi Express
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ex 12007 Mysore Shatabdi Coach E1 of 12026 Shatabdi Express
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Coachboard of 12010 Shatabdi Express
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Nameboard of 12010 Shatabdi Express
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Interior view of the new Executive AC Chair Car coaches (EC) on the Chennai-Mysore line
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Interior view of the new AC Chair Car coaches (CC) on the Chennai-Mysore line
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The Chennai Mysore Shatabdi at the Mysore Junction
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12025 Shatabdi Express crossing Bharathnagar MMTS station, Hyderabad
See also
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shatabdi Express. |
- Complete list of Shatabdi trains operated by Indian Railways
- Complete list of Shatabdi Express trains
- List of all Shatabdi Express trains
- "'Shatabdi is the heart of Indian railways' - The Times of India". articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2014-05-30.
- "No halts, new Shatabdi Express to fly to Delhi - The Times of India". articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2014-05-30.
References
2. Train Time Table http://scanpnrstatus.com/trainschedule.php
