Two Amrit Bharat trains launch April 28
- Indian Railways is set to start two new Amrit Bharat Express services on April 28, linking Banaras with Hadapsar in Pune and Ayodhya Cantt with Mumbai’s Lokmanya Tilak Terminus. - The Banaras-Hadapsar train is scheduled as a daily 22-coach service with 18 stops, while the Ayodhya-LTT inaugural run will leave at 4:45 p.m. with 12 en-route halts. - The rollout adds to Indian Railways’ wider Amrit Bharat expansion, with the government saying the non-air-conditioned trains are built for heavy demand and low fares. (pib.gov.in)
Indian Railways plans to launch two new Amrit Bharat Express trains on Monday, April 28, connecting Uttar Pradesh with Pune and Mumbai. (indianexpress.com) (english.mathrubhumi.com) The two routes are Banaras-Hadapsar and Ayodhya Cantt-Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, or LTT, in Mumbai. Mathrubhumi reported Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to flag them off on April 28. (indianexpress.com) (english.mathrubhumi.com) For the Banaras-Hadapsar service, the inaugural run will operate as train number 02531 and depart Banaras at 4:45 p.m. on April 28, according to Indian Express and Mathrubhumi. It is listed with 22 coaches: 11 general class, eight sleeper class, two SLR coaches and one pantry car. (indianexpress.com) (english.mathrubhumi.com) That Banaras-Hadapsar train is expected to stop at 18 stations, including Prayagraj, Jhansi, Bina, Itarsi, Bhusawal, Manmad and Daund. A separate Indian Express report said the regular service is numbered 22589/22590 and is planned to run daily with four rakes. (indianexpress.com 1) (indianexpress.com 2) The Ayodhya Cantt-LTT service will make its first trip as train number 02212, also departing at 4:45 p.m. on April 28. It is scheduled to stop at 12 stations, including Sultanpur, Prayagraj, Satna, Jabalpur, Itarsi, Nashik Road, Kalyan and Thane. (indianexpress.com) (english.mathrubhumi.com) Amrit Bharat trains are Indian Railways’ non-air-conditioned long-distance trains aimed at general and sleeper-class passengers rather than premium travelers. The Press Information Bureau said the fare model is about ₹500 per 1,000 kilometers, with no dynamic pricing. (pib.gov.in) The standard Amrit Bharat composition is 11 general coaches, eight sleeper coaches, one pantry car and two luggage-cum-guard vans with disabled-friendly compartments, the government said in January. A March Lok Sabha reply said 60 Amrit Bharat Express services were operating on the network as of March 18, 2026. (pib.gov.in 1) (pib.gov.in 2) The government has pitched the trains as a way to handle heavy passenger volumes on long routes used by workers, families and pilgrims. The new Uttar Pradesh-Maharashtra links fit that pattern, connecting Varanasi, Ayodhya, Pune and Mumbai on corridors with steady long-distance demand. (pib.gov.in) (english.mathrubhumi.com) If the April 28 launch runs on schedule, both trains will join a network Indian Railways has been expanding since the first Amrit Bharat service debuted in December 2023. This time, the expansion is aimed squarely at passengers traveling between Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra without paying premium-train fares. (pib.gov.in) (indianexpress.com)
