Agnibina Express

Agnibina Express
Overview
Service typeSuperfast Express
LocaleWest Bengal
First service15 August 1976; 48 years ago (1976-08-15)
Current operator(s)Eastern Railway
Route
TerminiHowrah (HWH)
Asansol (ASN)
Stops6
Distance travelled200 km (124 mi)
Average journey time3 hours 10 minutes
Service frequencyDaily[a]
Train number(s)12341 / 12342
On-board services
Class(es)AC Chair Car, Second Seating, General Unreserved
Seating arrangementsYes
Sleeping arrangementsNo
Catering facilitiesE-catering only
Observation facilitiesLarge windows
Baggage facilitiesAvailable
Other facilitiesBelow the seats
Technical
Rolling stockLHB coach
Track gauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed63 km/h (39 mph) avg 130 km/h (81 mph) max

The 12341 / 12342 Agnibina Express is a daily superfast train that runs in the state of West Bengal, between Howrah Junction and Asansol Junction. The train belongs to Eastern Railway, maintained at Howrah. It connects the major coal and steel industrial cities of Asansol, Raniganj, Andal and Durgapur to the capital city of Kolkata, and is therefore, a very important train on the route for daily passengers.

Initially known as the Asansol Express, the train was renamed the Agnibina Express as a tribute to Kazi Nazrul Islam, whose birthplace is near Asansol and whose first poetry book was titled Agnibina. However, unofficially, the train is often referred to as the Bidhan Express.

Route & halts

Schedule

Agnibina Express runs 7 days a week in both directions. 12342 departs Asansol Jn at 05:30 and reaches Howrah Jn at 08:50, while 12341 departs Howrah Jn at 18:20 and reaches Asansol Jn at 21:30, covering 200 km in 3 hours and 10–20 minutes. The average speed remains around 60–63 km/h (37–39 mph), and the maximum permissible speed is 130 km/h (81 mph) throughout its journey.

12342

Sl No. Station code Station name Time (IST) Distance (KM) Day
1 ASN Asansol Junction 05:30 0 (Source) 1
2 RNG Raniganj 05:45 19 1
3 UDL Andal Junction 05:55 26 1
4 DGR Durgapur 06:11 43 1
5 PAN Panagarh 06:25 58 1
6 MNAE Mankar 06:36 68 1
7 BWN Barddhaman Junction 07:09 106 1
8 HWH Howrah 08:50 200 (Destination) 1

12341

Sl No. Station code Station name Time (IST) Distance (KM) Day
1 HWH Howrah Junction 18:20 0 (Source) 1
2 BWN Barddhaman Junction 19:27 95 1
3 MNAE Mankar 20:02 132 1
4 PAN Panagarh 20:12 143 1
5 DGR Durgapur 20:25 159 1
6 UDL Andal Junction 20:39 175 1
7 RNG Raniganj 20:52 182 1
8 ASN Asansol Junction 21:30 200 (Destination) 1

Coach composition and Rake Sharing

The train consists of 18 coaches which includes 2 air-conditioned chair cars, 5 second seating chair cars, 10 general cars (including 1 SLR and 1 LDS) and 1 EOG cum luggage break van. The train has run with LHB rakes since 2018.

It shares its rakes with the Shantiniketan Express and the Coalfield Express.

Traction

It is hauled by a Howrah-based WAP-7 or WAP-5 locomotive throughout its entire journey.

Notes

The train started as Chittaranjan–Howrah Bidhan Express, but was later temporarily terminated at Asansol for operational reasons during the 1970s.

See also

References

  1. ^ Runs seven days in a week for every direction.