Lucknow Swarna Shatabdi Express

Lucknow Swarna Shatabdi Express

Overview
Service type	Shatabdi Express
Locale	Delhi & Uttar Pradesh
Current operator(s)	Northern Railway of Indian Railways
Route
Stops	5
Distance travelled	513 kilometers
Average journey time	6 hours 30 minutes
Service frequency	Daily
Train number(s)	12003 & 12004
On-board services
Class(es)	A.C Executive Anubhuti Chair Car A.C. First Class Chair Car A.C. Chair Car
Seating arrangements	Chair Car
Sleeping arrangements	Not available
Catering facilities	Vegetarian food Non-Vegetarian food Jain food
Baggage facilities	Overhead luggage shelves
Technical
Rolling stock	Alstom LHB coaches
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed	Maximum: 130 km/h between Chipyana Buzrung and Kanpur. Average: 80 km/h
Route map

Lucknow Swarna Shatabdi Express is one of the Shatabdi Express trains operated by Indian Railways that connects the capital of India, New Delhi to state capital of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow Junction.

Overview

This train is a Swarna category Shatabdi Express train, Swarna is a Sanskrit word meaning gold. Swarna Shatabdi means that it caters better amenities to passengers and also generates better revenue for Indian Railways as compared to other Shatabdi Express trains. Not every train in Indian Railways carries Swarna tag. Also, it is the second fastest Shatabdi Express after Bhopal Shatabdi.

History

Earlier this train used to run between Kanpur Central and New Delhi non-stop, a 435 km stretch. After the gauge conversion in 1993, it was extended to and also halted at Aligarh. Later on, it was also given halt at Ghaziabad and Etawah. Lucknow Swarna Shatabdi Express is the first train in Indian Railways to get LHB coaches on trial basis.

Initiatives

Lucknow Swarna Shatabdi has been awarded the ISO certification. Efforts are now on to increase the speed of the Lucknow Shatabdi and bring it on par with the Agra–Delhi stretch of the Bhopal Shatabdi.

Routes

Swarna Shatabdi Express

12003 – Lucknow Junction railway station to New Delhi

Station code	Station name	Arrival	Departure
LJN	Lucknow Junction	Starting station	15:35
CNB	Kanpur Central	16:50	16:55
ETW	Etawah	18:09	18:11
TDL	Tundla Junction	19:20	19:22
ALJN	Aligarh Junction	20:08	20:10
GZB	Ghaziabad Junction	21:33	21:35
NDLS	New Delhi	22:15	Destination station

12004 – New Delhi to Lucknow Junction

Station code	Station name	Arrival	Departure
NDLS	New Delhi	Starting Station	06:10
GZB	Ghaziabad Junction	06:48	06:50
ALJN	Aligarh Junction	07:50	07:52
TDL	Tundla Junction	08:49	08:51
ETW	Etawah	09:42	09:44
CN	Kanpur Central	11:20	11:25
LJN	Lucknow Junction	12:40	Destination station

Temporary coaches that may/may not be attached depending on demand. Coach compositions are as follows-

• 12003- LOCO-EOG-C16-C15-C14-C13-C12-C11-C10-C9-C8-C7-C6-C5-C4-C3-C2-C1-E2-E1-EOG.
• 12004- LOCO-EOG-E1-E2-C1-C2-C3-C4-C5-C6-C7-C8-C9-C10-C11-C12-C13-C14-C15-C16-EOG.

Speed

The maximum permissible speed is 130 kmph except two parts - first 29 kms of journey or New Delhi (NDLS) – Chipyana Buzrung (CYZ) part where Railway is trying to raise maximum permissible sectional speed to 130 kmph from 110 kmph [1] and after leaving route towards Howrah, last 72 kms of journey or Kanpur (CNB) – Lucknow Jn (LJN) route which is about same as Kanpur (CNB) – Lucknow (LKO) route having sectional speed of 100 kmph. [2]

Railway board has approved the speed policy which envisages operation of passenger trains at 160 kmph on Delhi – Howrah (incl CNB-LKO that is Kanpur - Lucknow) route and this train leaves route towards Howrah from Kanpur and then passes through Kanpur (CNB) – Lucknow Jn (LJN) route which is about same as Kanpur (CNB) – Lucknow (LKO) route but it is still unclear what will its impact on this train in future like increasing of speed but not up to 160 kmph or up to 160 kmph [3]

See also

• Lucknow Charbagh railway station (LKO)
• Kanpur Shatabdi
• Aligarh Junction railway station

External links

• https://web.archive.org/web/20130723014914/http://www.indianrail.gov.in/shatabdi_trn_list.html
• Lucknow Shatabdi Timetable in Hindi