Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai
Chennai, Jan 17: Indian Railways is set to roll out three new Amrit Bharat Express services connecting Tamil Nadu with West Bengal from Saturday, marking a significant boost to affordable long-distance rail travel between southern and eastern India.
Positioned as a non-air-conditioned yet modern alternative to premium services such as the Vande Bharat Express, Amrit Bharat trains aim to deliver better passenger amenities at budget-friendly fares, catering to a wide cross-section of travellers.
With the addition of these services, Tamil Nadu’s connectivity under the Amrit Bharat network will expand further. The state had earlier seen its first such service with the Erode–Jogbani Amrit Bharat Express, which introduced this train category to the region.
The Railway Board has now cleared three more weekly routes linking major destinations across Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. According to Southern Railway, the new services will operate on the Jalpaiguri–Tiruchirappalli, Tambaram–Chandrakachi, and Nagercoil–Jalpaiguri corridors.
The trains will be officially flagged off during a ceremonial event at Rangapani railway station in West Bengal.
The Nagercoil–Jalpaiguri Amrit Bharat Express (Train No. 20604) will depart Rangapani at 1.45 pm on Saturday and is scheduled to arrive in Nagercoil at 7.15 pm on January 19. Within Tamil Nadu, it will halt at Katpadi, Jolarpettai, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Pollachi, Udumalaipettai, Palani, Dindigul, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Sattur, Kovilpatti, Tirunelveli, among other stations.
The Jalpaiguri–Tiruchirappalli Amrit Bharat Express (Train No. 20610) will also leave Jalpaiguri at 1.45 pm on Saturday and is expected to reach Tiruchirappalli at 2.15 pm on January 19. En route, it will stop at Egmore, Tambaram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai, Kumbakonam and Thanjavur.
Meanwhile, the Tambaram–Chandrakachi Amrit Bharat Express (Train No. 16107) will begin operations on Sunday, departing Chandrakachi at 2.45 pm and arriving at Tambaram at 6.45 pm the same day.
Railway officials said detailed notifications regarding the regular timetables and frequency of these services will be released separately.
The introduction of these trains is expected to benefit thousands of passengers by offering dependable, economical, and improved rail connectivity between Tamil Nadu and eastern India.