The commercial services of Bharat Express train from Patna to Howrah are to start from 26 September while those between Howrah and Ranchi are to start from 27 September.

The upcoming express train is to cover a distance of 532 km in six hours and 30 minutes as compared to eight hours by present existing fastest originating train on this route.

The latest addition to the fleet of the premium trains to the state is to be virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday. According to the Eastern Railway, the Patna-Howrah route would be the fourth Vande Bharat Express for the state. The train is to cover a total of ten districts namely Patna, Lakhisarai, Jamui, Deoghar, Jamtara, West and East Burdwan, Hooghly, Howrah and Kolkata, covering Bihar and Bengal.

In Eastern Railway jurisdiction the train will stop enroute at Patna Saheb, Mokama, Luckeesarai, Jasidih, Jamtara, Asansol and Durgapur stations. According to the zonal railway, having the permission for 130 km/hr as the maximum speed, the train is to have an average speed of 82 kilometres per hour.

As informed by the ER, 22348/22347 Patna – Howrah – Patna Vande Bharat Express would be operated 6-days a week, except Wednesday. The train is to depart from Patna at 8 am and reach Howrah at 2.35 pm on the same day. On the return journey, it will depart from Howrah at 3.50 pm and reach Patna at 10. 40 pm, on the same day. The train is to have eight AC chair cars.

According to the CPRO of the South Eastern Railway, Aditya Kumar Chaudhary, the commercial runs of the other Vande Bharat between Howrah and Ranchi, also slated to be flagged off on the same day, are to start from 27 September. “The 20898 Ranchi – Howrah Vande Bharat Express will depart Ranchi at 5.15 am and reach Howrah at 12.20 pm on the same day,” informed Mr Chaudhary. “In the return direction, 20897 HowrahRanchi Vande Bharat Express will depart Howrah at 3.45 pm and reach Ranchi at 10.50 hrs the same day. The train connecting the capital cities of Jharkhand and Bihar, will have stoppages at Muri, Kotshila, Purulia, Chandil, Tatanagar and Kharagpur enroute,” he added.