New Delhi: Opening a new chapter in the history of Indian Railways, the country's fastest train - Gatimaan Express - was launched on Tuesday.
"Launching of 'Gatimaan Express' is an important step for our Railways," said Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.
Adding Pace to Progress MR @sureshpprabhu flagged off GATIMAN fastest train of India #TransformingIndia pic.twitter.com/BbCoSRDAZn
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) April 5, 2016
"The launch of this heralds a new era of high speed rail travel in India," Ministry of Railways tweeted.
MR @sureshpprabhu to Flag off Gatimaan Today:THE LAUNCH OF THIS HERALDS A NEW ERA OF HIGH SPEED RAIL TRAVEL IN INDIA pic.twitter.com/AiWpjp9sNJ
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) April 5, 2016
It's a semi-bullet train!
This new semi-bullet train will operate between the national capital's Hazrat Nizamuddin station and Agra Cantonment station.
Six days a week
It will operate six days a week, except on Friday.
Timings
It will leave Nizammuddin railway station at 8.10 a.m. and reach Agra Cantt. at 9.50 a.m
Fare
The fare for a single AC chair car seat will be Rs.750, and that for the executive AC chair car seat Rs.1,500.
India's fastest train GATIMAAN b/w H. Nizammuddin-Agra Cantt at maximum speed of 160kmph #TransformingIndia pic.twitter.com/n0kXgBPjNl
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) April 5, 2016
Others features: Wi-Fi, executive coaches, etc
The Gatiman Express train comprises of two executive AC chair cars and eight AC chair car coaches.
The ministry elaborated that the on-board catering on the new train will be carried out by the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), a railway undertaking.
"IRCTC has made arrangement for deploying train hostesses on-board the train. This train will see improved catering and will have options of different kinds of cuisines," the statement added.
The new train also provides on-board entertainment facility free of cost by a private agency -- MyFreeTv.in.
"Under this facility, passengers can view various entertaining videos during the travel on their smartphone, tablets or laptops even without internet connection through Wi-Fi," the statement said.
In addition, the ministry pointed out that the express train features new LHB (Linke-Hofmann-Busch) coaches fabricated by Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala.
"These coaches have been fitted with bio-toilets and are fit to run at 160 km per hour. These coaches have also been fitted with balanced draft gear couplers for a smooth ride," the statement added.
The new express train will be hauled by an electrical engine, "WAP 5", which has a power output of 5,500 HP.
