80 Hour Route, 59 Stoppages , 4300 KM. travel .Do you know about the longest train?

About 800 crore passengers travel in Indian Railways every year. According to these figures, four times the number of passengers than the population of the country travel in Indian Railways trains.

At present, around 1,200 passenger express trains run on the tracks in the country. According to railway data, in the last financial year 2022-23, 151 crore tonnes of cargo and goods were transported from one place to another by goods trains.

Today we are going to tell you about the longest distance trains in the country which travel through many states to reach their destination.

The longest running train in the country is Vivek Express which was started on the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. This train travels a long distance of 4,300 km from Dibrugarh in Assam to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu.

It takes more than 80 hours for Vivek Express to cover this distance. During the journey, this train stops at 59 stations. Not only this, while completing the journey, Vivek Express passes through 9 states of the country. This railway line is the longest not only in India but in the entire subcontinent.

Vivek Express covers Assam, Nagaland, Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu during its journey. This train has 19 coaches.

On the other hand, for a journey from Dibrugarh to Kanyakumari in Vivek Express, you have to pay a fare of Rs 1200 to Rs 5000. The fare for third AC in this train is around Rs 3,000. On the other hand, the fare for second AC is around Rs 5,000 and the fare for sleeper coach is around Rs 1200.

Vivek Express was announced during the Railway Budget 2011-12. Vivek Express train runs only two days a week. It leaves from Dibrugarh at 7.25 pm and reaches Kanyakumari station after about 80 hours.

Indian Railways, with its extensive network, is indeed a crucial backbone of India’s economy and growth, facilitating transportation, trade, and industrial development, while also contributing to job creation and regional connectivity. The sector has witnessed massive changes in the last 10 years under the Modi government. The Railway Ministry has implemented a slew of initiatives that have made the traveling experience of the passengers comfortable and convenient. Starting from platform redevelopment to introducing new trains, the sector has seen a number of changes over the years.

Known to be the world’s oldest and largest public transport networks, Indian Railways has more than 7,000 stations and runs over 22,000 trains per day ferrying over 2.4 crore passengers daily. Of the thousands of stations it has, Howrah Railway Station in West Bengal is said to be the busiest.

Here are some of the key details of Howrah Station:

Howrah Railway Station was established in 1854

It is the oldest railway station in India and also one of the largest in area and number of platforms.

Howrah Railway Station has 23 platforms, making it one of the busiest and biggest railway stations in the country.

It serves as a primary gateway for rail transportation in Eastern India

The station connects West Bengal to major cities across the country. It handles a large volume of passenger and freight traffic daily.

The station is a key part of India’s railway history.

It was linked to the first train journey in eastern India, from Howrah to Hooghly in 1854.

Over time, it played a critical role in the growth of the Indian railway network.

Howrah Station is known for its iconic colonial architecture.

The station building, designed by British architect Halsey Ricardo, is an imposing structure with a red-brick facade, representing a blend of Victorian and Gothic styles.

Howrah Station is situated on the western bank of the Hooghly River, directly connected to Kolkata by the Howrah Bridge, one of the most famous landmarks in India. This bridge allows easy access to Kolkata’s central business areas.