You will have plenty of experience travelling on a train. However, being the world’s largest rail network, railways are India’s most popular means of transport. It operates various types of trains. Some people enjoy premium trains, while most travel in express trains. Moreover, a large part of the country’s population also travels in the passenger trains of Indian Railways and order food on train to enjoy the journey. The design of Indian Railways is according to the capacity of each type of train.
The largest rail network in the world covers a route length of about 68,000 km, controls about 14,000 passengers trains, and transports 24 million passengers daily. The average train speed in India ranges from 36 kmph to 112 kmph. To know more about Indian Railways, learn about its different types of trains.
Indian Railways Operates 18 Different Types of Trains
1) Rajdhani Express
Rajdhani Express is a passenger rail service of Indian Railways that connects the capital of India to the capital of various states of the country. On its first journey, the Kolkata-New Delhi Rajdhani Express departed from Howrah on March 3, 1969. It is the most premium train of Indian Railways in which all coaches are fully air-conditioned, i.e., first AC, second AC, and third AC.
The Rajdhani Express runs at a maximum speed of 130-140kmph. Trivandrum- Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express is the longest non-stop train in India, covering the distance of 528 km between Vadodara to Kota. There are 24 pairs of Rajdhani Express trains running in the country. They connect New Delhi with the capitals of other Indian states. These trains have fewer halts and stop only at major stations on their routes.
2) Shatabdi Express
Shatabdi Express trains are a series of fast plying trains that connect India’s major, essential and commercial cities. The Shatabdi Express operates during the daytime and completes the journey from its origin and destination in a day. It provides only the seating facility for the passengers who can book their tickets only in AC chair cars. Indian Railways operates 25 pairs of Shatabdi Express trains that connect Metro cities with other important cities of India.
3) Gatimaan Express
Gatimaan Express is the first semi-high speed train in India. Its maximum speed is 160 kilometres per hour. This train runs between Delhi and Jhansi. WAP5 electric locomotive engine operates Gatimaan Express. The train has LHB coaches that ensures there is no loss of life or property in the event of an accident. Like airlines, the train has AC chair cars, executive class tickets, and luxury coaches. The government’s main objective in running this train is to promote Indian tourism. This train runs all week except Friday because the Taj Mahal stays closed on this day.
4) Vande Bharat Express
Indian Railways’ first indigenous rail, Vande Bharat Express. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates this train on February 15, 2019. Two days later (February 17, 2019), it started its commercial operation from New Delhi to Varanasi. The Vande Bharat Express running between New Delhi and Varanasi, covers the distance in around eight hours. This train runs all week, except on Mondays and Thursdays. The country’s second Vande Bharat Express completes the distance between New Delhi to Katra in 8 hours. This train runs at a speed of 130 kilometres per hour. It is also known as Train18.
5) Duronto Express
Duronto Express trains operate between India’s metro cities and big states’ capitals. The uniqueness of these trains is that, except for technical breaks, they travel from source to destination without stopping. The Duronto Express comes under non-stop trains of the Indian Railways and is known as the fastest and most punctual train on the Grand Chord route between metro cities. The New Delhi Duronto Express is the Superfast Express train that runs between Sealdah and New Delhi.
6) Tejas Express
Tejas Express, the country’s first corporate train, has flight-like facilities for passengers. Tejas Express is a semi-high-speed Indian Railways train with modern facilities. Its maximum speed is 160 kmph. Tejas Express has excellent passenger features, such as a personal LCD entertainment-cum-information screen with headphones, onboard Wi-Fi, modular bio-toilets, and comfortable seats. This train has automatic entry and exit doors similar to the metro network. These doors provide security, preventing people from climbing and landing until the train is on the platform.
7) Maharaja Express
The Maharaja Express train runs from Agra and takes passengers to Ajanta. It is a premium tourist train of Indian Railways, and many foreign tourists also prefer to travel on this train. The Maharaja Express provides passengers with all kinds of luxury amenities.
The Maharaja Express coaches offer a deluxe cabin, junior suite, suite, and presidential suite. Royal kinds of facilities are provided to passengers in deluxe cabins. There are a total of 23 coaches on this train. In this train, 88 passengers can travel comfortably. The minimum fare for a day on this train is Rs 36,000, while the maximum is Rs 112,500.
8) Humsafar Express
Humsafar Express is a fully air-conditioned AC 3-tier train with 16 passenger coaches. In addition to the two coaches of the luggage-cum generator car, there is also one of the pantry cars. In this way, 21 coaches are available on the train. It is considered a premium train of Indian Railways. In Humsafar Express, passengers get facilities that are not present on any train in India. The GPS is available on every coach on this train. Passengers keep getting information about the actual place of the train in the coach.
9) Samjhauta Express
Samjhauta express train runs between India and Pakistan. The train runs from Delhi to Attari (Shyam Singh railway station) in Punjab. From Attari, It takes the engine of the Pakistan Railway to Lahore via the Wagah border. During this period, Border Security Force personnel monitor it. This train from India used to run twice a week from Old Delhi Railway Station at 11.10 PM on Wednesday and Sunday. This train has also built a separate platform at the Old Delhi railway station.
Passengers are subjected to passing through a security check before boarding this train. Samjhauta Express has six Sleeper Coaches and one air-conditioned third class (3rd AC) coach. After leaving Delhi, there is no stoppage of this train till Attari. It is said that it is preferred over the Rajdhani Express, Shatabdi Express, and other significant trains of Indian Railways.
10) Mountain Railways
Mountain railways are train services that provide facilities in mountain areas of India. Indian Railways currently operates seven mountain train routes throughout the country. Among seven mountain rail routes, three are declared world heritage sites by UNESCO. These are:
(I) Nilgiri Mountain Railway
Nilgiri mountain railway is a famous world heritage site. Shahrukh Khan’s song ‘Chal Chaiyan-Chaiyan’ was shot on this toy train. Although it is the slowest train in the country, it can only run at a speed of 16 km per hour. The journey of the Nilgiri Mountain Train between Mettupalayam to Ooty is fascinating. It crosses through about ten railway stations during the journey.
(II) Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (Toy Train) runs between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in December 1999. The distance covered by this train is about 78 kilometres. The views outside the train are amazing throughout this journey. A visit to Darjeeling without riding on this train is considered incomplete.
(III) Kalka-Shimla Heritage Track
The historic toy train running on the Kalka-Shimla Heritage track is an easy way to reach Shimla. The route for this toy train was prepared in 1903 itself. It is now a major centre of attraction for tourists visiting Shimla. The train runs on a 96 km long track and covers 20 stations. It takes 5 hours to cover the entire trip on this train. It starts at Kalka near Chandigarh and goes to Shimla. On the way, you can enjoy beautiful natural views on the train.
11) Bullet Train
Japan introduced the bullet train. The speed of this train is its uniqueness. The speed of a bullet train ranges from 200 kilometres per hour to 600 kilometres per hour. India’s first bullet train is being announced from Mumbai to Ahmedabad. Work is under construction for the first bullet train route in India. It is assumed to be completed by 2026.
12) Suvidha Express
The operation of the Suvidha Express is done keeping in mind the passengers who decide to travel at the last minute so that the passengers can get confirmed tickets even during days of heavy congestion. It is a premium class train of Indian Railways. Only approved and RAC tickets are booked on this train.
13) Uday Express
The first Uday Express double-decker train started running in June 2018 between Coimbatore and Bengaluru. The train has air-conditioned chair car. This train mainly operates in areas where the number of passengers is more. The second double-decker Uday Express of Indian Railways runs between Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada in the East Coast Railway zone. Available facilities of Uday Express are Wi-Fi, padded seats and display screens.
14) Antyodaya Express
In 2016, former Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu announced plans to run Antyodaya Express. At present, 30 Antyodaya Express are running in the country. There is no need to make any reservation for travelling in Antyodaya Express. The aim of the train is to uplift the weaker section of society.
Facilities in Antyodaya Express
- Filter machine for drinking water
- Vending machine for tea, coffee, and milk
- There are CCTV cameras in every coach of the train
- Bio-toilet facilities in every coach
15) Monorail
The monorail is a single rail track. People also call it elevated railway system. Mumbai saw the first monorail in India. Additionally, Maharashtra’s IT hub Pune received a proposal for the construction of Monorail.
16) Yuva Express
Former railway minister Mamta Banerjee had announced plans to run the Yuva Express between Dhanbad and New Delhi for the unemployed youths. On this train, sixty percent of seats stay reserved for the country’s youths. Currently, two Yuva Express trains are running in India.
17) Tram Train
The tramway system operates in Kolkata. People also call it a streetcar as road traffic moves along it. It is the only electric tramway system in Asia.
18) Metro Train
The metro train has another name Rapid train service. It is like a bus. In India, Kolkata saw the first metro. Afterward, Delhi received the first modern metro. At present, Delhi Metro is the lifeline of the capital city. Currently, there are 10 cities in India where metro trains are operating.
These various train types are the capital of Indian Railways that serve the same purpose of Indian Railways easing the travel experience of passengers. You can board any of the trains according to your need and the availability of the trains for journeying in India.
Are There Different Types of Trains?
Yes! India has various types of trains. The rail system classifies these train types on different bases, such as distance, electrification, speed, etc. Some high-speed trains are Vande Bharat, Shatabdi Express, Tejas Express, and Train18. Tram Train and Monorail are trains that are available in only one or two cities.
What are the Popular Trains in India?
Vivek Express, Himsagar Express, Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Palace on Wheels, etc., are some of the popular trains in India. You can board these trains to experience the enthralling beauty of India.
To enjoy the train rides, you can order food on train from the RailRestro e-catering app and website. With it, you can also order bulk food on train to delight your gang’s journey mood.
RailRestro offers numerous food options to satiate your food cravings on train journeys. The menu list of RailRestro is full with Aloo Tikki to Chai, complete meal thali to Shahi Biryani; You can get any delicacy on the train and enjoy it.