Things to know about Tejas Express, India's first private train
What's the story
Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express, India's first private train, to be run by Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is set to become operational from October 4. The benchmark train is likely to be flagged off by UP CM Yogi Adityanath, "but the time is yet to be finalized," said Ashwani Srivastava, chief regional manager, IRCTC, Lucknow. Here are 10 things to know about it.
#1,2
Seating capacity of 758 passengers, journey duration of 6.15 hours
1) The Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express will have one air-conditioned, executive-class chair car featuring 56 seats, and nine air-conditioned chair cars with a seating capacity of 78 seats each. This takes the total seating capacity of the train to 758 passengers. 2) The said train will cover the distance between the two designated cities in 6.15 hours, the fastest by any train on that route.
#3,4
Train timings and journey stoppages
3) The Tejas Express is bound to start its journey from Lucknow at 6:10 AM and is scheduled to reach New Delhi at 12:25 PM. For the return journey, the train will leave New Delhi at 4:30 PM and will reach Lucknow at 10:45 PM. 4) The train will halt for two stoppages during the journey, at Kanpur Central and Ghaziabad.
#5,6
Ticket booking and pricing information
5) The tickets for Tejas Express can only be booked via the IRCTC website or mobile app. There is no provision for bookings through ticket windows. Further, tickets can be booked up to 60 days in advance. 6) IRCTC has not announced the ticket prices for the Tejas Express yet, but it will be 50% less than the flight tickets operating on Delhi-Lucknow route.
#7,8
Train schedule and special services provided by IRCTC
7) The Tejas Express is planned to run 6 days a week, except on Tuesdays. 8) The IRCTC is planning to provide a luggage pick-and-drop service to passengers traveling by Tejas Express. IRCTC shall transport your luggage from your home to train, and drop it back from the train to your destination. The luggage shall be insured, and a charge would be levied.
#9,10
About Tatkal ticket bookings and insurance to passengers
9) No Tatkal ticket bookings will be available for Tejas Express. 10) All passengers traveling by this train shall be provided a free insurance of up to Rs. 25 lakh by IRCTC. Bonus point: Just like flights, meals in the Tejas Express will be served by on-board service staff. Tea and coffee vending machines will also be available in the train. Happy journey!