A new passenger train service between India and Bangladesh is expected to begin operating in mid July.
The 10 coach train will initially operate a thrice weekly schedule between suburban Sealdah Railway Station in the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal to Joydebpur in Bangladesh, a rail junction located about 25 km from the Bangladesh capital of Dhaka.
The journey time to cover the 250 km between the two mega cities is scheduled to be about 11 hours. The as yet unnamed train service will only operate with reserved coaches.
Depending upon passenger response and subject to the laying of a short stretch of broad gauge track in Bangladesh, the rail service could be extended to Dhaka.
Indian and Bangladesh Railways will provide the necessary coaches and locomotives with each government agency operating the rail service for alternating six month periods. India will operate the rail service for the first six months from mid July.
The rail link which will supplement the existing Kolkata/Dhaka bus service that has been operating since July 1999 is expected to substantially boost tourism and business ties between the two populous countries.
Exclusive Report by Thomas E. King, TravelMole’s Travel & Lifestyle Editor
