Neelachal Express

Neelachal Express

Name board of Neelachal Express.
Overview
Service type	Express
Locale	Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar Uttar Pradesh & Delhi
First service	31 March 1980; 41 years ago (1980-03-31) (initial service between Puri and New Delhi)[1]
Current operator(s)	East Coast Railways
Route
Start	Puri (PURI)
Stops	37
End	Anand Vihar Terminal (ANVT)
Distance travelled	1,914 km (1,189 mi)
Average journey time	34h 50m
Service frequency	Tri-weekly
Train number(s)	12875 / 12876
On-board services
Class(es)	AC 2 Tier, AC 3 Tier, Sleeper Class, General Unreserved
Seating arrangements	Yes
Sleeping arrangements	Yes
Catering facilities	Available
Observation facilities	Rake sharing with 12815/12816 Nandan Kanan Express
Technical
Rolling stock	LHB coaches
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge
Operating speed	55 km/h (34 mph) average including halts
Route map

The 12875 / 12876 Neelachal Express is a tri-weekly train which runs between Puri in Odisha and Anand Vihar Terminal railway station. It is one of the oldest train that connects Puri to Anand Vihar Terminal. The main towns along the route are Bhubaneshwar, Cuttack, Bhadrak, Balasore, Hijili, Tatanagar, Bokaro Steel City, Muri, Gaya, Mughalsarai, Varanasi, Bhadohi, Rae Bareli, Lucknow, Kanpur. It operates three times per week and covers a distance of 1,912 kilometres (1,188 mi) from Puri to Anand Vihar Terminal. Neelachal Express consist of 1 Second AC coach, 4 Third AC coaches, 12 Sleeper Class coaches, 2 General (Un-Reserved) coaches, 1 Pantry Car and 2 EOG.^[2]

Coaches[]

The 12875/ 12876 Puri–Anand Vihar Terminal Neelachal Express presently has 1 AC 2 tier, 4 AC 3 tier, 12 Sleeper Class, 2 Second Class seating & 2 EOG coaches. Also, it does have a pantry car.

As with most train services in India, coach composition may be amended at the discretion of Indian Railways depending on demand.

According to East Coast Railways Officials, It will Run with LHB Rakes from 18 August 2019 from Puri & From 20 August 2019 from Anand Vihar Terminal.

Service[]

12875 Puri–Anand Vihar Terminal Neelachal Express covers the distance of 1914 kilometers in 24 hours 50 mins (57.20 km/hr) & in 24 hours 25 mins as 12876 Anand Vihar Terminal–Puri Neelachal Express (59.48 km/hr).

It takes around 34 hours and 50 minutes to cover 1,914 kilometres (1,189 mi) at an average speed of 54 kilometres per hour (34 mph) with 39 halts.

Neelachal Express was moved from New Delhi to Anand Vihar Terminal in May 2018.^[3]

Schedule[]

Background[]

This train is given name on The abode of Hindu deity Jagannath at Puri is known as the Nilachal or Niladri, [Nila (Blue) + Achal (Mountain)] meaning, The Blue Mountain. The Nilachal is a place of high religious significance in Hinduism and is one of the four Char Dhams. Religious teachers like Shri Ramanuja Acharya, Swami Vishnuswami visited Nilachal in the Twelfth century and established a mathas. Shri Nimbarka Acharya also visited Puri, as also Guru Nanak Dev and many other Acharyas. Shri Chaitanya spent 18 years at Nilachal dhama.

Coach composition[]

The train has Mordern LHB rakes with max speed of 130 kmph.

• 1 AC II Tier
• 4 AC III Tier
• 12 Sleeper Coaches
• 3 General
• 2 EOG

Loco	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23
	EOG	GEN	A1	B1	B2	B3	B4	PC	S1	S2	S3	S4	S5	S6	S7	S8	S9	S10	S11	S12	GEN	EOG

Route & Halts[]

The train runs from Puri via Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Balasore, Hijli, Tatanagar, Bokaro Steel City, Gomoh, Gaya Junction, Mughalsarai Junction, Varanasi, Pratapgarh Junction, Rae Bareli Junction, Lucknow Charbagh, Kanpur Central to Anand Vihar Terminal.

As the route is fully electrified, Gomoh-based WAP-7 locomotive powers the train from Puri to Anand Vihar Terminal.

References[]

External links[]

• 12875 Neelachal Express at India Rail Info
• 12876 Neelachal Express at India Rail Info