Bengaluru to West Bengal by rail: Amrit Bharat Express leads trio of new long-distance trains (In Photos)

Bengaluru is set to get three new long-distance trains connecting it to West Bengal, significantly improving rail connectivity between the south and the east. The move is expected to benefit migrant workers, traders and families frequently travelling on this route.

One of the three services will be an Amrit Bharat Express linking Bengaluru with Alipurduar in north Bengal. This will be the second Amrit Bharat train for Bengaluru, signalling Indian Railways’ push for faster, modern non-AC long-distance travel.

As per the Railway Board timetable, the Amrit Bharat Express will run weekly. It will depart from SMVT Bengaluru on Saturdays and reach Alipurduar on Mondays, with the return journey starting Mondays and ending Thursdays.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to formally announce the launch of the new services later this month. However, the official start date for the trains has not yet been notified by the Railway Board.

This will be Bengaluru’s second Amrit Bharat Express to West Bengal after the Malda service. The addition strengthens rail links between Karnataka and multiple regions of Bengal, easing pressure on existing long-distance trains.

Regular commuters welcomed the move but said more services are needed. Some passengers pointed out that states like Bihar and Jharkhand also require better long-distance connectivity with southern India.

Passengers travelling between southern India and states like West Bengal and Odisha are expected to benefit significantly from the new services, especially those dependent on affordable, long-distance non-AC rail travel.

Initially, all three routes were planned to get Amrit Bharat coaches. However, the Balurghat and Radhikapur trains were later shifted to standard express configurations, possibly due to operational or rolling stock constraints.