Indian Railways has approved a new tri-weekly Amrit Bharat Express between Bhuj and Barauni in Bihar, a 2,532 km run that gives Kutch its own long-distance link to the Gangetic plain. The start date has not been announced yet, IANS reported, quoting the Railway Ministry.
The timetable so far
Train 19427 will leave Bhuj at 5.30 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and is scheduled to reach Barauni at 4.05 am. Train 19428 will leave Barauni at 11.55 pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and reach Bhuj at 1.15 pm, according to the schedule published by DeshGujarat and IANS.
The listed commercial halts, in order, are:
- Gujarat: Samakhiali, Ahmedabad
- Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan: Ratlam, Kota, Sawai Madhopur, Gangapur City, Bharatpur
- Uttar Pradesh: Mathura, Hathras, Bareilly, Izzatnagar, Pilibhit, Lakhimpur, Gonda, Gorakhpur
- Bihar: Siwan, Chhapra, Hajipur, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur
The railways’ own description says the train connects Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Ratlam, one of the halts, sits in Madhya Pradesh, so the train crosses five states.
Why a Kutch-Bihar train
Kutch has grown into one of Gujarat’s biggest industrial and port districts. Deendayal Port at Kandla, the Mundra port and SEZ, the salt pans of the Little Rann, and the factories around Gandhidham and Anjar employ many workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. For them, a train that starts in Bhuj removes the first leg of the trip to Ahmedabad.
The route choice reflects that. After Mathura the train swings through Rohilkhand (Bareilly, Pilibhit, Lakhimpur) and the Purvanchal belt (Gonda, Gorakhpur) before entering north Bihar through Siwan and Chhapra. It ends at Barauni in Begusarai district. Several of these stops are district towns rather than the state capitals and junctions that long-distance trains usually prioritise.
What the Amrit Bharat format means for fares
Amrit Bharat Express trains are Indian Railways’ budget long-distance category. The rakes carry non-AC sleeper and unreserved general coaches, with a locomotive at each end to cut acceleration times. For a worker on a daily wage, the price of a non-AC sleeper berth matters more than AC comfort.
Fares for this service have not been published. Travellers should check the NTES or IRCTC listing once the train is notified for booking.
What Kutch passengers should check
- Kutch halts: the published list names Samakhiali but not the smaller stations between Bhuj and Samakhiali. Passengers from Gandhidham or Anjar should confirm halts in the full timetable before planning around this train.
- Start date: the ministry has said it will announce the date separately. Until then the train will not show up for booking.
What to watch
The key question is whether the service starts before the Diwali and Chhath season, the busiest period for travel between Gujarat and Bihar. If it runs from October or early November, Kutch will get three extra trains a week toward Bihar during the rush. If the launch slips to December, the first real test of demand will come in next summer’s holiday season.
Sources: DeshGujarat, IANS (via Punjab Kesari English)
This report was compiled and written with AI assistance from publicly reported sources, and reviewed for accuracy.