What are Rajdhani Express Trains?
In many Indian languages, the word Rajdhani means ‘the capital’. And just as the name suggests, Rajdhani Express is a series of trains that connect New Delhi, India’s national capital, with the capital cities or the largest cities of several states in the country. The first train in this series was introduced in 1969, which ran between New Delhi and Howrah in Kolkata. Currently, there are 24 pairs (48 in total) of Rajdhani trains connecting almost all major cities in India with the national capital. While most of these states have only one Rajdhani train, some states like Maharashtra, West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, etc. have more than one.
Features and Facilities of Rajdhani Trains
- Rajdhani is one of the premium trains operated by Indian Railways and also counts among the fastest trains in the country
- Rajdhani trains get priority over many other trains on the Indian railway network
- These trains have fully air-conditioned coaches. In fact, Rajdhani is the first fully air-conditioned train introduced by Indian Railways
- The ticket charges of Rajdhani trains are inclusive of food and you will be served meals on board. Based on the timings and duration of your journey, you will be served morning tea, breakfast, lunch, high tea in the evening, and dinner at night
- Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food options are available
- Rajdhani trains have seats in 3 travel classes, namely 1 AC, 2 AC, and 3 AC. The 1 AC coaches are coupes with locking facility while 2 AC coaches have curtains for privacy.
- These trains have fewer stops compared to many other trains
- In some Rajdhani Express trains, you can also enjoy free Wi-Fi
- Additional facilities in Rajdhani trains include power ports and blankets, pillows, and linen
Rajdhani Express Routes
Currently, Rajdhani Express trains are operating to and from almost all Indian states except for Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Rajasthan. Most of these are long-distance trains with over 24 hours of journey duration. The Rajdhani Express connecting Delhi and Jammu Tawi has the shortest route and journey time (582 km/ about 9 hours). The longest Rajdhani route is from Trivandrum Central in Kerala to Hazrat Nizamuddin in South Delhi (3,149 km/ about 46 hours).
List of Rajdhani Trains
Here’s a complete list of Rajdhani trains running across the country, with timings, timetable, other details, as of July 2019:
| S.No | Train No. | From | To | Departure | Arrival | Departure Days |
| 1 | 12301 (via Gaya) | Howrah Junction (HWH) | New Delhi (NDLS) | 16:50 | 10:00 | All days except Sundays |
| 2 | 12302(via Gaya) | New Delhi (NDLS) | Howrah Junction (HWH) | 15:55 | 9:55 | All days except Sundays |
| 3 | 12313 | Sealdah (SDAH) | New Delhi (NDLS) | 16:50 | 10:35 | All days |
| 4 | 12314 | New Delhi (NDLS) | Sealdah (SDAH) | 16:25 | 10:10 | All days |
| 5 | 12305 (via Patna) | Howrah Junction (HWH) | New Delhi (NDLS) | 14:05 | 10:00 | Sundays |
| 6 | 12306 (via Patna) | New Delhi (NDLS) | Howrah Junction (HWH) | 16:55 | 12:15 | Fridays |
| 7 | 12309 | Rajendra Nagar T (RJPB), Bihar | New Delhi (NDLS) | 19:00 | 7:40 | All days of the week |
| 8 | 12310 | New Delhi (NDLS) | Rajendra Nagar T (RJPB), Bihar | 17:15 | 5:30 | All days of the week |
| 9 | 12423 (Via Barauni) | Dibrugarh Town (DBRT), Assam | New Delhi (NDLS) | 20:35 | 10:15 | All days of the week |
| 10 | 12424 (Via Barauni) | New Delhi (NDLS) | Dibrugarh Town (DBRT), Assam | 16:10 | 7:00 | All days of the week |
| 11 | 20505 (Via Hajipur) | Dibrugarh Town (DBRT), Assam | New Delhi (NDLS) | 19:20 | 13:55 | Thursdays |
| 12 | 20506 (Via Hajipur) | New Delhi (NDLS) | Dibrugarh Town (DBRT), Assam | 9:25 | 6:15 | Thursdays and Sundays |
| 13 | 20503 (Via Muzzafarpur) | Dibrugarh (DBRG), Assam | New Delhi (NDLS) | 19:50 | 13:55 | Thursdays |
| 14 | 20504 (Via Muzzafarpur) | New Delhi (NDLS) | Dibrugarh (DBRG), Assam | 9:25 | 5:15 | Tuesdays |
| 15 | 12441 | Bilaspur Junction (BSP), Chhattisgarh | New Delhi (NDLS) | 14:00 | 10:55 | Mondays and Thursdays |
| 16 | 12442 | New Delhi (NDLS) | Bilaspur Junction (BSP), Chhattisgarh | 15:45 | 12:00 | Tuesdays and Saturdays |
| 17 | 22413 | Madgaon (MAO), Goa | H Nizamuddin (NZM) | 11:00 | 16:55 | Mondays and Sundays |
| 18 | 22414 | H Nizamuddin (NZM) | Madgaon (MAO), Goa | 10:55 | 14:20 | Fridays and Saturdays |
| 19 | 12431 | Trivandrum Central (TVC), Kerala | H Nizamuddin (NZM) | 19:15 | 16:55 | Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays |
| 20 | 12432 | H Nizamuddin (NZM) | Trivandrum Central (TVC), Kerala | 10:55 | 8:30 | Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays |
| 21 | 12957 | Ahmedabad Junction (ADI), Gujarat | New Delhi (NDLS) | 17:40 | 7:30 | All days of the week |
| 22 | 12958 | New Delhi (NDLS) | Ahmedabad Junction (ADI), Gujarat | 19:55 9:40 | 9:40 | All days of the week |
| 23 | 12426 | Jammu Tawi (JAT), Jammu and Kashmir | New Delhi (NDLS) | 19:45 | 5:00 | All days of the week |
| 24 | 12425 | New Delhi (NDLS) | Jammu Tawi (JAT), Jammu and Kashmir | 20:40 | 5:45 | All days of the week |
| 25 | 22691 | KSR Bengaluru (SBC) | H Nizamuddin (NZM) | 20:00 | 5:55 | All days of the week |
| 26 | 22692 | H Nizamuddin (NZM) | KSR Bengaluru (SBC) | 20:45 | 6:40 | All days of the week |
| 27 | 20839 (Via Bokaro) | Ranchi (RNC), Jharkhand | New Delhi (NDLS) | 18:15 | 10:55 | Wednesdays and Saturdays |
| 28 | 20840 (Via Bokaro) | New Delhi (NDLS) | Ranchi (RNC), Jharkhand | 16:00 | 9:00 | Mondays and Fridays |
| 29 | 12453 (Via Daltonganj) | Ranchi (RNC), Jharkhand | New Delhi (NDLS) | 17:10 | 10:55 | Thursdays and Sundays |
| 30 | 12454 (Via Daltonganj) | New Delhi (NDLS) | Ranchi (RNC), Jharkhand | 16:00 | 10:30 | Wednesdays and Saturdays |
| 31 | 12951 | Mumbai Central (MMCT) | New Delhi (NDLS) | 17:00 | 8:35 | All days of the week |
| 32 | 12952 | New Delhi (NDLS) | Mumbai Central (MMCT) | 16:25 | 8:15 | All days of the week |
| 33 | 12953 | Mumbai Central (MMCT) | H Nizamuddin (NZM) | 17:40 | 11:00 | All days of the week |
| 34 | 12954 | H Nizamuddin (NZM) | Mumbai Central (MMCT) | 16:50 | 9:45 | All days of the week |
| 35 | 22221 | Mumbai CSMT | H Nizamuddin (NZM) | 16:10 | 10:05 | Wednesdays and Saturdays |
| 36 | 22222 | H Nizamuddin (NZM) | Mumbai CSMT | 17:15 | 11:50 | Thursdays and Sundays |
| 37 | 22811 (Via Adra) | Bhubaneswar (BBS), Odisha | New Delhi (NDLS) | 11:35 | 10:45 | Wednesdays and Sundays |
| 38 | 22812 (Via Adra) | New Delhi (NDLS) | Bhubaneswar (BBS), Odisha | 17:05 | 16:00 | Mondays and Fridays |
| 39 | 22823 (Via Bokaro) | Bhubaneswar (BBS), Odisha | New Delhi (NDLS) | 09:30 | 10:45 | Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays |
| 40 | 22824 (Via Bokaro) | New Delhi (NDLS) | Bhubaneswar (BBS), Odisha | 17:05 | 17:25 | Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays |
| 41 | 20817 (Via Sambalpur) | Bhubaneswar (BBS), Odisha | New Delhi (NDLS) | 07:10 | 10:45 | Saturdays |
| 42 | 20819 (Via Sambalpur) | New Delhi (NDLS) | Bhubaneswar (BBS), Odisha | 17:05 | 20:05 | Sundays |
| 43 | 12433 | Chennai Central (MAS), Tamil Nadu | H Nizamuddin (NZM) | 06:05 | 10:40 | Fridays and Sundays |
| 44 | 12434 | H Nizamuddin (NZM) | Chennai Central (MAS), Tamil Nadu | 15:55 | 20:40 | Wednesdays and Fridays |
| 45 | 12437 | Secunderabad Junction (SC), Telangana | H Nizamuddin (NZM) | 12:45 | 10:40 | Wednesdays |
| 46 | 12438 | H Nizamuddin (NZM) | Secunderabad Junction (SC), Telangana | 15:55 | 14:00 | Sundays |
| 47 | 20501 | Agartala (AGTL), Tripura | Anand Vihar Terminal (ANVT), New Delhi | 18:30 | 11:20 | Mondays |
| 48 | 20502 | Anand Vihar Terminal (ANVT), New Delhi | Agartala (AGTL), Tripura | 19:50 | 13:30 | Wednesdays |
Rajdhani Express Trains FAQ:
Q: Is the food price included in Rajdhani ticket fare?
A: Yes. Rajdhani ticket charges are inclusive of food prices. You don’t have to pay extra for food.
Q: Do I get non-vegetarian food in Rajdhani trains?
A: Yes. Rajdhani trains serve both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food to passengers based on a pre-defined menu.
Q: Can I book Rajdhani train tickets on Tatkal?
A: Yes. You can book 2AC and 3AC seats in Rajdhani trains on Tatkal quota. As a general Tatkal reservation rule, 1 AC seats in Rajdhani or any other trains cannot be booked on Tatkal.
Q: Should I mandatorily opt for food in Rajdhani trains?
A: No. It is not mandatory that you choose food in Rajdhani trains. When you book your tickets, you have the option to choose ‘No Food’.
Q: If I forgo food, do I get a discount on Rajdhani ticket charges?
A: Yes. You’ll get a small discount on the base fare if you choose ‘No Food’ option. For instance, the Rajdhani ticket fare from Bangalore to New Delhi on 3 AC class with food is around ₹ 3820. The fare for the same without food is around ₹ 3355.
Q: Will Rajdhani ticket charges change based on my food choice – that is, vegetarian or non-vegetarian food?
A: No. The ticket prices for passengers who opt for vegetarian food and those who opt for non-vegetarian food are the same.
Q: Is outside food allowed in Rajdhani trains?
A: Yes. Rajdhani trains don’t have any restrictions on bringing your own food or snacks or buying food from stations.
Q: Do I get senior citizen concession in Rajdhani trains?
A: Yes. You can avail senior citizen concession in Rajdhani Express trains.
Q: Are Ladies Quota, Senior Citizen Quota/Lower Berth Quota, etc. are applicable to Rajdhani trains?
A: Yes. Quotas for women, senior citizen, etc. are available in the 3 AC and 2 AC coaches of Rajdhani trains. However, you cannot avail these quotas in the 1 AC coaches.
Q: Will I get blankets, linen, pillows, etc. in Rajdhani trains?
A: Yes.
Q: Are there power ports to charge mobile phones, laptops, etc. in Rajdhani trains?
A: Yes.
Q: Are there curtains for privacy in Rajdhani 3 AC coaches?
A: The 3 AC coaches of Rajdhani trains don’t have curtains for privacy. However, 2 AC coaches have curtains.
Q: Do Rajdhani trains have a special timetable during monsoons?
A: Rajdhani trains that pass through the Konkan route have a special timetable during the monsoon season.
