Bandhan Express

The Bandhan Express train (Bengali: বন্ধন এক্সপ্রেস) is an international express rail service which runs between the Indian city of Kolkata and the Bangladeshi city of Khulna every week. It is the second modern day, fully air conditioned passenger train link between the Indian state of West Bengal and Bangladesh. The Bengali word Bandhan means bonding when translated to English. It was initially referred to as the Maitree Express II. A valid visa and passport is required before purchasing a ticket for the Bandhan Express train. Tickets are available at Khulna Railway Station in Bangladesh and at Chitpur Station in Kolkata, India.

Bandhan Express
Overview
Service typeAC Express
First service9 November 2017 (2017-11-09)
Current operator(s)Eastern Railway zone
Route
StartKolkata (KOAA)
Stops3
EndKhulna (KLNB)
Distance travelled172 km (107 mi)
Average journey time5 hours 20 mins
Service frequencyBi-Weekly
On-board services
Class(es)Executive Class (EC)
AC Chair Car (CC)
Seating arrangementsYes
Sleeping arrangementsYes
Catering facilitiesNo
Entertainment facilitiesNo
Technical
Track gauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Route map
 km
0.0 Kolkata
 Dum Dum
 Barasat Junction
 Bangaon
 78.3 Petrapole
India and Bangladesh Border
 81.9.0 Benapole
 116.7.0 Jessore Junction
 172.3.0 Khulna

History

Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi; Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina; and Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, flagged off the Kolkata-Khulna Bandhan Express train service via video conference from Kolkata on 9 November 2017.[1]

Naming

After the Kolkata-Dhaka Maitree Express train was operational, it was proposed to name this second India-Bangladesh train on the Kolkata-Khulna route as 'Sonartari'.[1] But the same name is used in the railways and trains of both countries and hence it was omitted. Then the names Sampritee and Bandhan were offered. Finally the name Bandhan meaning Bonding was unanimously accepted.[1]

Route

The route recreates the previous Barisal Express route. The train starts at Kolkata railway station on the Indian side, stopping at Dum Dum and Bangaon before reaching the Indian border at Petrapole. The train then crosses to Benapole on the Bangladeshi side, going through Jhikargachha & Jessore, before reaching Khulna railway station.[2][3] There are no immigration or customs checks at the international border between India and Bangladesh for this train. The immigration process is done in Kolkata and Khulna. A valid visa and passport is required before purchasing a ticket for the Bandhan Express train. Tickets are available at Khulna Railway Station in Bangladesh and at Chitpur Station in Kolkata, India.

On 8 March 2019 both Government agreed to make a 3-minute halt at Jessore in order to attract more passengers and 200 tickets are reserved for the passengers from Jessore station.[4][5]

Timings and frequency

Since its inauguration, the train run only on Thursday but in February 2020, the frequency was increased and now the train runs twice in a week (i.e Sunday and Thursday).[6]

Kolkata to Khulna[7]
StationArrivalDepartureZone
Khulna to Kolkata[7]
StationArrivalDepartureZone

Coach composition

Pure LHB Coaches in Red-Grey (used by Rajdhani Expresses) and Sky blue-grey (used by Shatabdi Expresses) are used and manufactured in India, are used for this train.

  • It comprises 4 Executive Chair (EC), 4 AC Chair car (CC) and 2 Generator cum luggage cum guard van, hence, a total of 10 coaches.
Legends
LRM/GD/EOG/SLRH-C-
Generator cum luggage vanExecutive Chair (EC)AC Chair Car (CC)
Rake composition of 13129 down Kolkata to Khulna
Loco 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
EOGH1H2H3H4C1C2C3C4EOG
  • while 13130 up Khulna to Kolkata has reverse rake composition of 13130

See also

References
  1. "Prime Minister of India & Prime Minister of Bangladesh Jointly along with Chief Minister, West Bengal Flag off New Cross-Border Train between India & Bangladesh, "Kolkata-Khulna Bandhan Express"..." (Press release). Press Information Bureau, Government of India, Ministry of Railways. 9 November 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  2. "Maitree Express-II chugged across India, Bangladesh border amid cheers, applause". Indo-Asian News Service. Firstpost. 8 April 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  3. "Sheikh Hasina visit: Maitree Express to be made fully AC, new passenger service to be announced". The Indian Express. Press Trust of India. 7 April 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  4. "Kolkata-Khulna train: After 52 years you can now buy ticket to Bangladesh; all you need to know". India Today.
  5. ৫৪ বছর পরে যশোর থেকে কলকাতার ট্রেন. Anandabazar Patrika (in Bengali). Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  6. "মৈত্রী ও বন্ধন ট্রেনের যাত্রার সংখ্যা এক দিন বাড়ল". প্রথম আলো (in Bengali). Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  7. "Bandhan Express/13129 Time Table/Schedule: Kolkata to Khulna ER/Eastern Zone - Railway Enquiry". indiarailinfo.com. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
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