India’s 17th And Odisha’s First Vande Bharat To Launch Today

The 17th Vande Bharat Express will run between Howrah and Puri, covering 500 km in 6.5 hours. The regular service of this high-speed train will begin on 20th May.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is inaugurating the Puri-Howrah Vande Bharat Express train today via video conferencing. 

This high-speed train service is the 17th Vande Bharat Express to be launched in India by connecting 2 states.

The Puri-Howrah route in Odisha will now have its first Vande Bharat train, which will cover a distance of 500 km in approximately six and a half hours.

The train will operate six days a week, excluding Thursdays, according to the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). 

Seat bookings for the 22895/22896 Howrah-Puri-Howrah Vande Bharat Express began on May 17, with the regular service commencing from May 20.

The departure timing for the Puri-Howrah Vande Bharat Express is scheduled at 6.10 am from Howrah, reaching Puri at 12.35 pm. 

In the return direction, the train will depart Puri at 1.50 pm and arrive at Howrah at 8.30 pm. The train will make stops at Kharagpur, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur Keonjhar Road, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, and Khurda Road.

The Vande Bharat Express offers two types of coaches: AC chair car and Executive chair car. For the Puri-Howrah route, the fare for an AC chair car is Rs 1,430, including a catering charge of Rs 328, while the Executive chair car is priced at Rs 2,615, including a catering charge of Rs 389.

On the Howrah-Puri route, the fare for an AC chair car is Rs 1,265, including a catering charge of Rs 162, while the Executive chair car costs Rs 2,420, including a catering charge of Rs 195. 

Passengers can choose whether or not to include food in their ticket, and if they opt for the “No Food Option,” the catering charge will be excluded from the fare.

To book tickets for the Howrah-Puri Vande Bharat Express, passengers have the option to book online through the official website or app of IRCTC. 

Offline ticket bookings can be made at the Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters. It is important to note that only passengers with confirmed tickets will be allowed to board the train.

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The launch of the 17th Vande Bharat Express signifies the continuous effort of the Indian government to enhance the country’s rail connectivity and provide faster and more comfortable transportation options to passengers. 

The launch of this high-speed train service between Howrah and Puri is expected to benefit travelers and further improve connectivity in the regions of Odisha and West Bengal.