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(Top) 1 History 1.1 Naming 2 Route 3 Timings and frequency 4 Coach composition 5 Gallery 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

Bandhan Express

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Bandhan Express

Overview

Service type

AC Express

First service

9 November 2017; 6 years ago

Current operator(s)

West ZoneofBangladesh Railway & Eastern Railway zoneofIndian Railway

Route

Termini

Kolkata (KOAA)
Khulna (KLNB)

Stops

Distance travelled

172 km (107 mi)

Average journey time

5 hours 20 mins

Service frequency

Bi-weekly

Train number(s)

13129/13130

On-board services

Class(es)

Executive Class (EC)
AC Chair Car (CC)

Seating arrangements

Yes

Sleeping arrangements

Yes

Catering facilities

Entertainment facilities

Technical

Rolling stock

LHB coach

Track gauge

1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)

Route map

Legend

				km
				0.0	Kolkata
					Dum Dum Junction
					Barasat Junction
					Bangaon Junction
				78.3	Petrapole
					India–Bangladesh border
				81.9.0	Benapole
				116.7.0	Jessore Junction
				172.3.0	Khulna

This article contains Bengali text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols.

The Bandhan Express train (Bengali: বন্ধন এক্সপ্রেস) is an international express rail service which runs between the Indian city Kolkata and the Bangladeshi city Khulna every week. It is the second modern day, fully air conditioned passenger train link between the Indian state 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.

The commercial run of this train was suspended in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020. However, the train resumed its normal operations from 29 May 2022.^[1]^[2] Together with the Maitree Express train and the Mitali Express train, the Bandhan Express train is one of three modern day fully air conditioned passenger train links between the India and Bangladesh.

History

[edit]

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.^[3]

Naming

[edit]

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'.^[3] 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.^[3]

Route

[edit]

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.^[4]^[5] 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.^[6]^[7]

Timings and frequency

[edit]

Since its inauguration, the train only ran on Thursdays but from February 2020, the frequency was increased and now it runs twice a week, Sunday and Thursday.^[8]

Kolkata to Khulna (13129)^[9]
Station	Arrival	Departure	Zone
Kolkata	–	07:10 IST	ER
Petrapole	08:55 IST	09:05 IST	ER
Benapole	09:15 BST	10:15 BST	BR
Jessore	11:30 BST	11:33 BST
Khulna	12:30 BST	–

Khulna to Kolkata (13130)^[9]
Station	Arrival	Departure	Zone
Khulna	–	13:30 BST	BR
Jessore	14:27 BST	14:30 BST
Benapole	14:45 BST	16:00 BST
Petrapole	16:10 IST	16:20 IST	ER
Kolkata	18:10 IST	–	ER

Coach composition

[edit]

Pure LHB coach in red-grey (used by Rajdhani Expresses) and sky blue-grey (used by Shatabdi Expresses) 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/SLR	H-	C-
Generator cum luggage van	Executive 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
	EOG	H1	H2	H3	H4	C1	C2	C3	C4	EOG

while 13130 up Khulna to Kolkata has reverse rake composition of 13130

Gallery

[edit]

Bandhan Express entering at Khulna

References

[edit]

^ "Bangladesh bound Maitree, Bandhan Express to resume soon: Check details". NEWS9LIVE. 21 May 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2022.

^ "Passenger Train Services Between India and Bangladesh to Resume from May 29; Check Details". News18. 19 May 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2022.

^ ^a ^b ^c "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, Ministry of Railways. 9 November 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2017.

^ "Maitree Express-II chugged across India, Bangladesh border amid cheers, applause". Indo-Asian News Service. Firstpost. 8 April 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2017.

^ "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.

^ "Kolkata–Khulna train: After 52 years you can now buy ticket to Bangladesh; all you need to know". India Today.

^ ৫৪ বছর পরে যশোর থেকে কলকাতার ট্রেন. Anandabazar Patrika (in Bengali). Retrieved 15 March 2019.

^ মৈত্রী ও বন্ধন ট্রেনের যাত্রার সংখ্যা এক দিন বাড়ল. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 5 February 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2020.

^ ^a ^b "Bandhan Express/13129 Time Table/Schedule: Kolkata to Khulna ER/Eastern Zone – Railway Enquiry". India Rail Info. Retrieved 20 February 2020.

External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bandhan Express.

Bangladesh Railway

Railways in Eastern India

National network/
trunk lines

Other lines/sections

Interstate	Asansol–Gaya section Asansol–Patna section Asansol–Tatanagar–Kharagpur line Barauni–Gorakhpur, Raxaul and Jainagar lines Barkakana–Son Nagar line Barsoi–New Farakka section Barsoi–Radhikapur branch line Dumka–Bhagalpur line Gaya–Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction section Hatia–Rourkela line Jasidih–Dumka–Rampurhat line Jharsuguda–Vizianagaram line Katihar–Siliguri line Kharagpur–Puri line Khurda Road–Visakhapatnam section Kothavalasa–Kirandul line New Jalpaiguri–Alipurduar–Samuktala Road line New Jalpaiguri–New Bongaigaon section Tatanagar–Bilaspur section
Bihar	Bakhtiyarpur–Tilaiya line Barauni–Katihar section Barauni–Samastipur section Fatuha–Tilaiya line Gaya–Kiul line Mokama–Barauni section Muzaffarpur–Gorakhpur line (via Hajipur, Raxaul and Sitamarhi) Muzaffarpur–Gorakhpur main line Muzaffarpur–Sitamarhi section Muzaffarpur–Hajipur section Narkatiaganj–Bhikhna Thori branch line Neora–Daniyawan–Bihar Sharif–Sheikhpura line Patna–Gaya line Patna–Mughalsarai section Patna–Sonepur–Hajipur section Raxaul–Sagauli line Samastipur–Muzaffarpur section
Jharkhand	Barkakana–Netaji S.C.Bose Gomoh line Barkakana–Muri–Chandil line Dhanbad–Chandrapura line Railways in Jharia Coalfield Koderma–Hazaribagh–Barkakana–Ranchi line Madhupur–Giridih–Koderma line Netaji S.C.Bose Gomoh–Hatia line
Odisha	Khurda Road–Bolangir line Cuttack–Sambalpur line
West Bengal	Ahmadpur–Katwa line Alipurduar–Bamanhat branch line Andal–Sainthia branch line Andal–Sitarampur loop line Bandel–Katwa line Bankura–Masagram line Bardhaman–Asansol section Bardhaman–Katwa line Barharwa–Azimganj–Katwa loop Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Eklakhi–Balurghat branch line Haldibari–New Jalpaiguri line Howrah–Barddhaman main line Howrah–Bardhaman chord Howrah–Kharagpur line Kharagpur–Bankura–Adra line New Mal–Changrabandha–New Cooch Behar line Santragachi–Amta branch line Sealdah Main and North section Calcutta Chord link line Kolkata Circular Railway Sealdah–Bangaon line Sealdah–Ranaghat–Gede line Ranaghat–Krishnanagar City–Lalgola line Sealdah South section Sheoraphuli–Bishnupur branch line

Suburban
rail transport

Monorail

Defunct lines

Revived/
Under revival

Inactive

Zones & Divisions

Eastern	Asansol Howrah Malda Sealdah
East Central	Danapur Dhanbad Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Samastipur Sonpur
East Coast	Sambalpur Khurda Road Waltair
North Eastern	Varanasi
Northeast Frontier	Katihar Alipurduar
South Eastern	Adra Chakradharpur Kharagpur Ranchi

Production units/
workshops

Transit points
with Bangladesh

Active

Defunct

Indian railheads
near India–Nepal border

Railway companies

See also

v t e Bangladesh Railway
Zones	East Zone West Zone
Lines	Narayanganj–Bahadurabad Ghat line Rajbari–Bhanga line Dhaka–Jessore line Joydebpur–Bangabandhu Shetu East line Tongi–Bhairab–Akhaura line Tongi–Manikganj–Paturia Ghat line Akhaura–Kulaura–Chhatak line Habiganj Bazar–Shaistaganj–Balla line Kulaura–Shahbajpur line Akhaura–Laksam–Chittagong line Chittagong Circular Railway Chittagong–Cox's Bazar line Chilahati–Parbatipur–Santahar–Darshana line Darshana–Jessore–Khulna line Old Malda–Abdulpur line Burimari–Lalmonirhat–Parbatipur line Santahar–Kaunia line Iswardi–Sirajganj line Khulna–Mongla Port Railway
Defunct lines	Jessore–Jhenidah Light Railway Kaunia–Dharlla State Railway Khulna–Bagerhat Railway Cherra Companyganj State Railways
Passenger trains	Barisal Express East Bengal Express East Bengal Mail Maitree Express Bandhan Express Chitra Express Kalni Express Kapotaksha Express Lalmoni Express Parabat Express Shonar Bangla Express Suborno Express Tista Express Banalata Express
Rolling stock	Locomotives of Bangladesh
Railway bridges	Hardinge Bridge Bangabandhu Bridge Padma Bridge Rupsha Rail Bridge
Transit points with India	Old Malda–Abdulpur line Akhaura–Agartala line Darshana–Gede Benapole–Petrapole Biral–Radhikapur Chilahati–Haldibari
Defunct transit points with India	Burimari–Changrabandha Shahbajpur–Mahisasan Mogalhat–Gitaldaha
History	Eastern Bengal Railway Assam Bengal Railway Pakistan Eastern Railway
See also	Saidpur railway workshop Bangladesh Railway Museum Dhaka Metro Rail Dhaka Subway Trans-Asian Railway
Category Commons