New train ‘Sonar Bangla Express’ to start operating on Dhaka-Chittagong route from Saturday

Bangladesh Railway is set to launch next week a new train styled ‘Sonar Bangla Express’ that will travel only on the Dhaka-Chittagong route.

The 16-car inter-city train will have only one stoppage, which will be at the Airport Station in the capital, and will travel from Dhaka to the port city in five hours and 40 minutes, officials have said.

‘Sonar Bangla Express’ will be the second nonstop train on this route. The first one, ‘Subarna Express’, started operating in April 1998.

East Zone General Manager Md Abdul Hye said, “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to launch this new train at Kamalapur Railway Station in Dhaka on Saturday (Jun 25).”

But it will begin commercial operations from the very next day, he added.

He said the 16 cars of the train have been imported from Indonesia.

“The train will run every day of the week except Saturdays. There will be 746 seats including those from the categories Snigdha Chair (air-conditioned), Shovon Chair and AC Berth.”

Every day, ‘Sonar Bangla Express’ will start from Dhaka at 7am and arrive in Chittagong at approximately 12:40pm, Hye said. On its way back, it will start from the port city at 5pm and reach the capital at approximately 10:40pm.

Railway officials said tickets of the new train will be made available from Wednesday. The prices are same as those of ‘Subarna Express’.

Currently, ‘Subarna Express’ starts from Chittagong at 7am and arrives in Dhaka at 12:40pm. On its way back, it starts from the capital at 3pm and reach the port city at8:40pm.

This inter-city train also has only one stop, at Dhaka’s Airport Station every day, except on Fridays.

Now, ‘Sonar Bangla Express’ will take the number of trains running on Dhaka-Chittagong route to nine. Apart from ‘Subarna’, the others are Turna Nishitha Express, Mohanagar Goduli, Mohanagar Provati, Dhaka Mail, Chittagong Mail, Karnaphuli Express and Chattala Express.

An East Zone railway official said Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation will offer catering services on ‘Sonar Bangla Express’.

The authorities are also considering including the price of food in the train fare, the official said.