Indian Railways’ Tejas Express Rake (Rajendra B Aklekar/Wikimedia Commons)
Indian Railways formally kick-started process to allow private players to operate passenger trains with the state transporter floating the request for qualifications (RFQs) seeking private investment of about Rs 30,000 crore. This is the first-of- its-kind initiative in the Indian rail sector.
The ambitious move entails private players to operate passenger services over 109 routes across the country, and has the potential to herald state-of-the-art technology in train operation.
The maiden attempt by the state-run transporter is expected to evince keen interest among top companies in infrastructure and transportation sectors, including Tata and Adani groups. Besides, some global players are also likely to enter the race for the ambitious private train operation project cleared by the Empowered Group of Secretaries.
Spread over 12 clusters, there would be about 151 new-age trains with modern amenities, and which would ply on 109 identified destinations. Mumbai, Delhi, Howrah, Patna, Jaipur, Chennai, Prayagraj, Secunderabad, Chandigarh, and Bengaluru are major clusters for which the players are keen to run 16-coach trains.
A day after inviting the request for qualifications (RFQ) from private entities for running 151 trains on 109 pairs of routes, Railway Board Chairman V.K. Yadav on Thursday (Jul 2) said the private train operations would begin by April 2023 and the fares in these trains would be competitive with air fares on similar routes.
Here is a full list of arrival, departure times, days of running of proposed private Trains
Cluster 1: Mumbai – 1
- Train from Kalburgi to Mumbai in 9 hours (21:00 to 06:00)
- Train from Mumbai to Kalburgi in 8 hours and 40 minutes (06:15 to 14:55)
- Train from Mumbai to Nagpur in 10 hours and 30 minutes (07:35 to 18:05)
- Train from Nagpur to Mumbai in 11 hours and 05 minutes (20:55 to 08:00)
- Train from Mumbai to Madgaon in 7 hours and 15 minutes (10:25 to 17:40)
- Train from Madgaon to Mumbai in 7 hours and 20 minutes (21:40 to 05:00)
- Train from Mumbai to Nagpur in 10 hours and 20 minutes (13:10 to 23:30)
- Train from Nagpur to Mumbai in 10 hours and 35 minutes (20:55 to 07:30)
- Train from Mumbai to Varanasi in 24 hours and 45 minutes (05:45 to 06:30)
- Train from Varanasi to Mumbai in 25 hours (08:40 to 09:40 the next day)
- Train from Mumbai to Kanpur in 22 hours (16:10 to 14:10)
- Train from Kanpur to Mumbai in 21 hours and 50 minutes (17:55 to 15:45)
- Train from Mumbai to Howrah in 25 hours (14:15 to 15:15 the next day)
- Train from Howrah to Mumbai in 25 hours (22:40 to 23:40 the next day)
- Train from Mumbai to Nanded in 11 hours (23:00 to 10:00)
- Train from Nanded to Mumbai in 11 hours and 30 minutes (23:30 to 11:00)
Cluster 2: Mumbai – 2
- Train from Mumbai Central to New Delhi in 15 hours (16:00 to 07:00)
- Train from New Delhi to Mumbai Central in 15 hours and 15 minutes (14:45 to 06:00)
- Train from Mumbai to Ahmedabad in 6 hours and 15 minutes (23:45 to 06:00)
- Train from Ahmedabad to Mumbai in 6 hours and 15 minutes (07:40 to 13:55)
- Train from Surat to Mumbai in 3 hours (07:00 to 10:00)
- Train from Mumbai to Surat in 3 hours (15:30 to 18:30)
- Train from Mumbai to Vadodara in 4 hours and 15 minutes (11:50 to 16:05)
- Train from Vadodara to Mumbai in 4 hours and 55 minutes (18:05 to 23:00)
- Train from Mumbai to Akola in 14 hours and 30 minutes (23:00 to 14:00)
- Train from Akola to Mumbai in 13 hours and 50 minutes (15:15 to 05:05)
- Train from Mumbai to Nandurbar in 7 hours (06:10 to 13:10)
- Train from Nandurbar to Mumbai in 7 hours and 25 minutes (15:50 to 23:15)
- Train from Surat to Varanasi in 23 hours (08:20 to 07:20)
- Train from Varanasi to Surat in 23 hours and 45 minutes (09:00 to 08:45)
- Train from Surat to Patna in 28 hours and 50 minutes (08:10 to 13:00)
- Train from Patna to Surat in 27 hours and 10 minutes (14:45 to 17:55)
- Train from Mumbai to Delhi in 15 hours and 15 minutes (15:25 to 06:40)
- Train from Delhi to Mumbai in 15 hours and 35 minutes (13:25 to 05:00)
- Train from Indore to Danapur in 25 hours and 35 minutes (14:25 to 16:00)
- Train from Danapur to Indore in 26 hours and 50 minutes (17:40 to 20:30)
- Train from Mumbai to Shirdi in 8 hours and 15 minutes (20:00 to 04:15)
- Train from Shirdi to Mumbai in 8 hours and 05 minutes (07:50 to 15:55)
- Train from Mumbai to Indore in 14 hours (20:00 to 10:00)
- Train from Indore to Mumbai in 14 hours (17:00 to 07:00)
Cluster 3: Delhi-1
- Train from New Delhi to New Rishikesh in 5 hours and 10 minutes (07:50 to 13:00)
- Train from New Rishikesh to New Delhi in 5 hours and 10 minutes (15:50 to 20:50)
- Train from Indore to Delhi in 11 hours and 05 minutes (23:55 to 11:00)
- Train from Delhi to Indore in 10 hours and 45 minutes (13:00 to 23:45)
- Train from New Delhi to Varanasi in 11 hours and 45 minutes (23:15 to 11:00)
- Train from Varanasi to New Delhi in 11 hours and 45 minutes (18:15 to 06:00)
- Train from Anand Vihar to Darbhanga (via BSB-CPR) in 21 hours and 50 minutes (23:10 to 21:00)
- Train from Darbhanga (via BSB-CPR) to Anand Vihar in 20 hours and 30 minutes (23:45 to 20:15)
- Train from Anand Vihar to Badgam in 16 hours and 50 minutes (15:00 to 07:50)
- Train from Badgam to Anand Vihar in 17 hours (14:00 to 07:00)
- Train from Lucknow to Delhi in 6 hours and 35 minutes (16:15 to 22:50)
- Train from Delhi to Lucknow in 6 hours and 30 minutes (05:20 to 11:50)
- Train from Delhi to Sabarmati in 13 hours and 15 minutes (16:15 to 05:30)
- Train from Sabarmati to Delhi in 13 hours and 30 minutes (16:20 to 05:20)
Cluster 4: Delhi-2
- Train from Delhi to Udaipur in 11 hours and 35 minutes (22:25 to 10:00)
- Train from Udaipur to Delhi in 11 hours and 45 minutes (16:15 to 04:00)
- Train from Guwahati to Delhi in 27 hours (08:30 to 11:30)
- Train from Delhi to Guwahati in 27 hours (15:00 to 18:00)
- Train from Barauni to Anand Vihar in 22 hours (14:00 to 12:00)
- Train from Anand Vihar to Barauni in 21 hours and 30 minutes (15:30 to 13:00)
- Train from Pune to Delhi in 19 hours and 20 minutes (18:00 to 13:20)
- Train from Delhi to Pune in 19 hours and 40 minutes (15:20 to 11:00)
- Train from Kathgodam to Delhi in 6 hours and 15 minutes (23:30 to 05:45)
- Train from Delhi to Kathgodam in 4 hours and 40 minutes (09:05 to 13:45)
- Train from Delhi to Jodhpur in 10 hours and 30 minutes (22:30 to 09:00)
- Train from Jodhpur to Delhi in 10 hours and 30 minutes (22:30 to 09:00)
Cluster 5: Chandigarh
- Train from Delhi to Amritsar in 5 hours and 35 minutes (17:25 to 23:00)
- Train from Amritsar to Delhi in 5 hours and 40 minutes (09:00 to 14:40)
- Train from New Delhi to Chandigarh in 3 hours (06:30 to 09:30)
- Train from Chandigarh to New Delhi in 3 hours (10:15 to 13:15)
- Train from New Delhi to Chandigarh in 3 hours (14:00 to 17:00)
- Train from Chandigarh to New Delhi in 3 hours (17:55 to 20:55)
- Train from Lucknow to SVDK -Katra in 18 hours and 25 minutes (21:05 to 15:30)
- Train from SVDK -Katra to Lucknow in 18 hours (21:30 to 14:30)
- Train from Amritsar to Faizabad in 17 hours and 15 minutes (05:00 to 22:15)
- Train from Faizabad to Amritsar in 16 hours (05:00 to 21:00)
- Train from Varanasi to Bhatinda in 21 hours and 30 minutes (07:30 to 05:00)
- Train from Bhatinda to Varanasi in 21 hours (07:00 to 04:00)
- Train from Nagpur to Chandigarh in 19 hours and 40 minutes (12:30 to 08:10)
- Train from Chandigarh to Nagpur in 21 hours and 25 minutes (14:15 to 11:40)
- Train from Bhopal to Mumbai in 15 hours and 30 minutes (18:00 to 09:30)
- Train from Mumbai to Bhopal in 13 hours and 20 minutes (10:30 to 23:30)
- Train from Bhopal to Pune in 14 hours and 35 minutes (17:55 to 08:20)
- Train from Pune to Bhopal in 12 hours and 55 minutes (15:20 to 04:15)
Cluster 6: Howrah
- Train from Ranchi to Howrah in 7 hours (06:00 to 13:00)
- Train from Howrah to Ranchi in 7 hours and 30 minutes (14:30 to 22:00)
- Train from Howrah to Pune in 26 hours and 45 minutes (18:10 to 20:55 next day)
- Train from Pune to Howrah in 28 hours and 05 minutes (06:55 to 11:00 next day)
- Train from Howrah to Chennai in 25 hours and 45 minutes (15:45 to 17:30 next day)
- Train from Chennai to Howrah in 26 hours (20:00 to 22:00 next day)
- Train from Puri to Howrah in 7 hours (21:30 to 04:30)
- Train from Howrah to Puri in 7 hours and 35 minutes (20:40 to 04:15)
- Train from Puri to Howrah in 7 hours and 20 minutes (06:00 to 13:20)
- Train from Howrah to Puri in 7 hours and 20 minutes (15:00 to 22:20)
- Train from Howrah to Ranchi in 6 hours and 50 minutes (05:30 to 12:20)
- Train from Ranchi to Howrah in 6 hours and 50 minutes (13:05 to 19:55)
- Train from New Bongaigaon to Howrah in 13 hours and 10 minutes (05:20 to 18:30)
- Train from Howrah to New Bongaigaon in 13 hours and 30 minutes (07:00 to 20:30)
- Train from Howrah to Anand Vihar in 16 hours (16:35 to 09:00)
- Train from Anand Vihar to Howrah in 16 hours and 55 minutes (13:05 to 06:00)
- Train from Howrah to Varanasi (Via Patna) in 12 hours and 05 minutes (22:40 to 10:45)
- Train from Varanasi to Howrah in 12 hours and 50 minutes (16:10 to 05:00)
- Train from Sealdah to Guwahati in 17 hours and 10 minutes (23:50 to 17:00)
- Train from Guwahati to Sealdah in 16 hours and 30 minutes (21:00 to 13:30)
- Train from Howrah to Bhagalpur in 7 hours and 35 minutes (14:35 to 22:10)
- Train from Bhagalpur to Howrah in 7 hours and 35 minutes (06:25 to 14:05)
Cluster 7: Patna
- Train from New Delhi to Patna in 11 hours (12:30 to 23:30)
- Train from Patna to New Delhi in 12 hours (22:00 to 10:00)
- Train from Gaya to Anand Vihar in 11 hours and 05 minutes (20:35 to 07:40)
- Train from Anand Vihar to Gaya in 11 hours and 20 minutes (12:30 to 23:50)
- Train from Patna to Mumbai in 28 hours and 50 minutes (23:10 to 04:00 day after the next)
- Train from Mumbai to Patna in 26 hours and 45 minutes (14:15 to 17:00 next day)
- Train from Darbhanga to Mumbai in 39 hours (16:45 to 07:45 day after next)
- Train from Mumbai to Darbhanga in 39 hours and 45 minutes (12:45 to 04:30 day after next)
- Train from Darbhanga to Guwahati in 17 hours and 30 minutes (11:00 to 04:30)
- Train from Guwahati to Darbhanga in 17 hours (11:30 to 04:30)
- Train from Patna to Bangalore in 41 hours and 45 minutes (23:30 to 17:15 day after next)
- Train from Bangalore to Patna in 41 hours and 35 minutes (23:15 to 16:50 day after next)
- Train from Gorakhpur to Bangalore in 44 hours and 40 minutes (20:35 to 17:15 day after next)
- Train from Bangalore to Gorakhpur in 45 hours and 05 minutes (23:15 to 20:20 day after next)
- Train from Patna to Pune in 30 hours and 25 minutes (23:10 to 05:05 day after next)
- Train from Pune to Patna in 30 hours and 05 minutes (07:05 to 13:30 next day)
- Train from Asansol to Surat in 37 hours and 15 minutes (19:45 to 09:00 day after next)
- Train from Surat to Asansol in 33 hours and 10 minutes (23:50 to 09:00 day after next)
- Train from Asansol to PURI in 10 hours and 35 minutes (19:15 to 05:50)
- Train from PURI to Asansol in 10 hours and 30 minutes (07:00 to 17:30)
Cluster 8: Prayagraj
- Train from Prayagraj to Mumbai in 19 hours and 20 minutes (23:30 to 18:50)
- Train from Mumbai to Prayagraj in 18 hours and 55 minutes (23:05 to 18:00)
- Train from Prayagraj to Ahmedabad in 21 hours and 20 minutes (07:00 to 04:20)
- Train from Ahmedabad to Prayagraj in 23 hours and 10 minutes (06:50 to 06:00)
- Train from Prayagraj to Puri in 20 hours and 30 minutes (14:00 to 10:30)
- Train from Puri to Prayagraj in 20 hours and 50 minutes (14:00 to 10:50)
- Train from Kanpur to New Delhi in 4 hours and 20 minutes (18:40 to 23:00)
- Train from New Delhi to Kanpur in 4 hours and 05 minutes (05:20 to 09:25)
- Train from Ambala to Manduadih in 15 hours and 05 minutes (19:15 to 10:20)
- Train from Manduadih to Ambala in 14 hours and 30 minutes (21:00 to 11:30)
- Train from Prayagraj to Pune in 22 hours and 40 minutes (22:20 to 21:00)
- Train from Pune to Prayagraj in 22 hours and 40 minutes (22:20 to 21:00)
- Train from Gorakhpur to Mumbai in 33 hours and 45 minutes (07:00 to 16:45 next day)
- Train from Mumbai to Gorakhpur in 36 hours and 10 minutes (17:50 to 06:00 day after next)
- Train from Prayagraj to Bangalore in 36 hours (19:00 to 07:00 day after next)
- Train from Bangalore to Prayagraj in 36 hours and 50 minutes (15:30 to 04:20 day after next)
- Train from Pune to Dibrugarh in 67 hours (10:30 to 05:30)
- Train from Dibrugarh to Pune in 66 hours and 45 minutes (09:45 to 04:30)
- Train from Bhopal to Agartala in 52 hours and 30 minutes (17:00 to 21:30)
- Train from Agartala to Bhopal in 51 hours and 10 minutes (14:00 to 17:10)
- Train from Agartala to Karimganj in 4 hours and 10 minutes (23:50 to 04:00)
- Train from Karimganj to Agartala in 3 hours and 45 minutes (07:00 to 10:45)
- Train from Bhopal to Rajkot in 18 hours (20:00 to 14:00)
- Train from Rajkot to Bhopal in 16 hours and 45 minutes (16:00 to 08:45)
- Train from Jhansi to Mumbai in 19 hours and 35 minutes (17:25 to 13:00)
- Train from Mumbai to Jhansi in 19 hours and 50 minutes (14:10 to 10:00)
Cluster 9: Secunderabad
- Train from Secunderabad to Srikakulam Via VSKP in 13 hours and 45 minutes (19:45 to 09:30)
- Train from Srikakulam Via VSK to Secunderabad in 14 hours (1500 to 05:00)
- Train from Secunderabad to Tirupati in 12 hours and 15 minutes (06:00 to 18:15)
- Train from Tirupati to Secunderabad in 12 hours and 15 minutes (08:40 to 20:55)
- Train from Guntur to Secunderabad in 4 hours and 45 minutes (23:30 to 04:15)
- Train from Secunderabad to Guntur in 4 hours and 45 minutes (23:30 to 04:15)
- Train from Guntur to Kurnool in 8 hours (06:00 to 14:00)
- Train from Kurnool to Guntur in 7 hours and 40 minutes (14:50 to 22:30)
- Train from Tirupati Via Secundrabad to Varanasi in 33 hours and 45 minutes (22:00 to 07:45)
- Train from Varanasi via Secundrabad to Tirupati in 33 hours and 15 minutes (09:45 to 21:00)
- Train from Secundrabad to Mumbai in 11 hours and 20 minutes (22:25 to 09:45)
- Train from Mumbai to Secundrabad in 11 hours and 45 minutes (23:35 to 11:20)
- Train from Mumbai to Aurangabad in 6 hours (15:45 to 21:45)
- Train from Aurangabad to Mumbai in 6 hours and 10 minutes (06:15 to 12:25)
- Train from Visakhapatnam to Vijaywada in 6 hours and 05 minutes (08:40 to 14:45)
- Train from Vijaywada to Visakhapatnam in 6 hours and 05 minutes (16:00 to 22:05)
- Train from Visakhapatnam to Bangalore via Renugunta in 16 hours and 45 minutes (19:45 to 12:30)
- Train from Bangalore to Visakhapatnam in 17 hours and 55 minutes (18:00 to 11:55)
- Train from Howrah to Secundrabad in 25 hours and 20 minutes (18:40 to 20:00)
- Train from Secundrabad to Howrah in 25 hours and 30 minutes (05:00 to 06:30)
Cluster 10: Jaipur
- Train from Ajmer to Mumbai in 15 hours and 15 minutes (17:00 to 08:15)
- Train from Mumbai to Ajmer in 15 hours and 05 minutes (14:55 to 06:00)
- Train from Jaipur to Mumbai in 15 hours and 35 minutes (19:15 to 10:50)
- Train from Mumbai to Jaipur in 15 hours and 30 minutes (12:45 to 04:15)
- Train from Delhi to Ajmer in 6 hours and 10 minutes (13:50 to 20:00)
- Train from Ajmer to Delhi in 6 hours and 25 minutes (05:20 to 11:45)
- Train from Bangalore to Jaipur in 41 hours (11:30 to 04:30)
- Train from Jaipur to Bangalore in 44 hours (23:15 to 16:15)
- Train from Jaipur to Jaisalmer in 11 hours and 50 minutes (09:10 to 21:00)
- Train from Jaisalmer to Jaipur in 11 hours and 50 minutes (22:10 to 09:50)
- Train from Jaipur to SVDK in 17 hours and 15 minutes (18:20 to 11:35)
- Train from SVDK to Jaipur in 15 hours and 45 minutes (22:55 to 14:40)
- Train from Kota to Ajmer in 6 hours and 10 minutes (06:20 to 12:30)
- Train from Ajmer to Kota in 5 hours and 45 minutes (14:30 to 20:15)
- Train from Jodhpur to Chennai in 41 hours and 15 minutes (11:00 to 04:15)
- Train from Chennai to Jodhpur in 41 hours and 15 minutes (06:15 to 23:30)
- Train from Jodhpur to Sabarmati in 8 hours and 40 minutes (14:00 to 22:40)
- Train from Sabarmati to Jaipur in 9 hours (23:30 to 08:30)
Cluster 11: Chennai
- Train from Chennai to Madurai in 6 hours and 15 minutes (16:00 to 22:15)
- Train from Madurai to Chennai in 6 hours and 20 minutes (06:00 to 12:20)
- Train from Chennai to Mumbai in 23 hours and 10 minutes (15:50 to 15:00)
- Train from Mumbai to Chennai in 22 hours and 25 minutes (18:45 to 17:10)
- Train from Chennai to Mangalor Jn in 15 hours and 50 minutes (19:10 to 11:00)
- Train from Mangalor Jn to Chennai in 15 hours and 35 minutes (17:05 to 08:30)
- Train from Puducherry Via Chennai to Secundrabad in 17 hours (14:40 to 07:40)
- Train from Secundrabad to Puducherry Via Chennai in 16 hours and 30 minutes (20:10 to 12:40)
- Train from Chennai to Coimbatore in 6 hours and 30 minutes (14:00 to 20:30)
- Train from Coimbatore to Chennai in 6 hours and 45 minutes (05:00 to 11:45)
- Train from Tirunelveli to Chennai in 10 hours (23:30 to 09:30)
- Train from Chennai to Tirunelveli in 10 hours and 05 minutes (17:55 to 04:00)
- Train from Tirunelveli to Coimbatore in 7 hours and 20 minutes (05:00 to 12:20)
- Train from Coimbatore to Tirunelveli in 7 hours and 30 minutes (14:00 to 21:30)
- Train from Chennai to Tiruchchirapalli in 4 hours and 15 minutes (17:15 to 21:30)
- Train from Tiruchchirapalli to Chennai in 4 hours and 20 minutes (06:00 to 10:20)
- Train from Chennai to Kanniyakumari in 11 hours and 45 minutes (16:45 to 04:30)
- Train from Kanniyakumari to Chennai in 11 hours and 50 minutes (21:30 to 09:20)
- Train from Kanniyakumari to Ernakulam in 6 hours (06:00 to 12:00)
- Train from Ernakulam to Kanniyakumari in 6 hours (14:00 to 20:30)
- Train from Chennai to Delhi in 27 hours (06:00 to 09:00 next day)
- Train from Delhi to Chennai in 28 hours and 25 minutes (15:35 to 20:00)
- Train from Kochuveli to Guwahati in 61 hours and 30 minutes (14:30 to 04:00)
- Train from Guwahati to Kochuveli in 63 hours and 20 minutes (23:50 to 15:10)
Cluster 12: Bengaluru
- Train from Bangalore to Guwahati via Dharmavaram in 58 hours and 30 minutes (12:15 to 22:45)
- Train from Guwahati to Bangalore in 57 hours and 10 minutes (23:50 to 09:00)
- Train from Mysuru to Bhubaneswar in 27 hours and 30 minutes (19:00 to 22:30)
- Train from Bhubaneswar to Mysuru in 26 hours and 15 minutes (04:00 to 06:15)
- Train from Delhi to Bangalore in 32 hours and 45 minutes (21:15 to 05:00)
- Train from Bangalore to Delhi in 33 hours and 05 minutes (20:15 to 05:20)
- Train from Howrah to Bangalore via Dharmavaram in 32 hours and 50 minutes (08:00 to 16:50)
- Train from Bangalore to Howrah in 34 hours and 15 minutes (23:45 to 10:00)
- Train from Ranchi to Bangalore in 33 hours (06:00 to 15:00)
- Train from Bangalore to Ranchi in 34 hours (18:00 to 04:00)