VIDEO: Mumbai To Get Its First Amrit Bharat Express As PM Modi Likely To Flag Off Saharsa-LTT Service On April 24 From Bihar

Mumbai: To boost rail connectivity between Bihar and Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to flag off the country’s third Amrit Bharat Express on April 24 from Bihar. The new train will run between Bihar’s Saharsa and Mumbai’s Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT), marking Mumbai’s first and Bihar’s second Amrit Bharat Express train.

This new long-distance service will cover key stations including Samastipur, Muzaffarpur, Danapur, Buxar, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction (formerly Mughalsarai), Itarsi, and Bhusaval. It will be capable of running at a maximum speed of 130 kmph and is expected to reduce travel time between Saharsa and Mumbai by nearly one and a half hours.

According to railway officials, the train will depart from Saharsa at 5 am and reach Mumbai’s LTT by 3 pm the next day. Initially, the train is scheduled to operate once a week, with a single rake allocated to the Samastipur Railway Division.

The Amrit Bharat Express features several modern upgrades aimed at enhancing passenger comfort. These include ergonomically designed seats, expanded luggage racks, mobile charging points with holders, LED lighting, CCTV surveillance, a public information system, and a fully vestibule design for easy movement between coaches. Uniquely, the train is powered by two locomotives—one on each end—eliminating the need for time-consuming locomotive reversals during the journey.

The train sets have been manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai. A total of 200 such trains are in the pipeline, with 50 already under construction and 150 more planned.

Railway enthusiasts and experts have welcomed the move, particularly for its potential to solve the long-standing issue of locomotive reversals that cause delays.

“Deploying Amrit Bharat Express trains in push-pull configuration will help reduce travel time and operational inefficiencies,” said a railfan. Trains like the Bandra Terminus – Madgaon Express, which currently require engine reversals at Vasai station, could also benefit from this model in the future.

The Saharsa-Mumbai Amrit Bharat Express follows the launch of the Darbhanga–Anand Vihar and Malda Town–SMVT Bengaluru services, as Indian Railways continues its push to modernize long-distance travel.