Garib Rath
Encyclopedia
The Garib Rath express train is one of the premier trains introduced by the Indian Railways
in 2005 by Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav
to provide fully air-conditioned travel to those passengers who could not afford the expensive tickets of the fully air-conditioned coaches as in Rajdhani Express
and Shatabdi Express
. Therefore, the Garib Rath, whose name means "Poor Man's Chariot", was introduced with the facilities of being fully air-conditioned and running faster than most other super-fast express trains running presently. The maximum speed of Garib Rath trains is 130 km/h which is the same as Rajdhani's top speed. However, in Garib Rath trains, passengers are not normally provided with blankets and pillow and they have to pay extra to get those.
The maiden journey of the train started from Saharsa
, Bihar
to Amritsar
, Punjab
. Critics and observers alike noted that the maiden journey was chosen between two commercially unimportant routes as many local Bihari
people had migrated to Punjab and Yadav's origination from Bihar led him to choose this route for political purposes. Despite the criticism, the Garib Rath has received positive reviews, with the train capacity reaching near 100% in off-season timings.
Garib Rath trains are also slated to have many amenities such as fridge, microwave oven, tv, cooler, fan, toaster. They have continuous running electronic display which will show distance remaining, next station name and expected time to reach there. The coaches also decorated with beautiful paintings of Indian heritage artwork.
The emergence of the Garib Rath has led to more connections between commercially important routes, where these trains run faster and make fewer stops, such as the Chennai
- Hazrat Nizamuddin Garibrath compared to the Bhopal Shatabdi
, Bandra-Hazrat Nizammudin
Express compared to the August Kranti Rajdhani Express
.
Currently services are offered from these stations:
Indian Railways
Indian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....
in 2005 by Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav
Lalu Prasad Yadav
Lalu Prasad Yadav is an Indian politician from Bihar. He was the Minister of Railways from 2004 to 2009 in the ruling United Progressive Alliance government, and the President of the Rashtriya Janata Dal political party...
to provide fully air-conditioned travel to those passengers who could not afford the expensive tickets of the fully air-conditioned coaches as in Rajdhani Express
Rajdhani Express
Rajdhani Express is a passenger train service in India connecting New Delhi with other important destinations, especially state capitals. Rajdhani means "The Capital" in Hindi.- History :...
and Shatabdi Express
Shatabdi Express
Shatabdi Express trains are a series of fast passenger trains operated by Indian Railways to connect Metro cities with other cities important for tourism, pilgrimage or business...
. Therefore, the Garib Rath, whose name means "Poor Man's Chariot", was introduced with the facilities of being fully air-conditioned and running faster than most other super-fast express trains running presently. The maximum speed of Garib Rath trains is 130 km/h which is the same as Rajdhani's top speed. However, in Garib Rath trains, passengers are not normally provided with blankets and pillow and they have to pay extra to get those.
The maiden journey of the train started from Saharsa
Saharsa
Saharsa is a city and a municipality in the Saharsa district in the Indian state of Bihar in north India, east of the Kosi River. It is the administrative headquarters of the Saharsa District, and is in the Kosi Division. Sahrasa is also the name of the Parliamentary constituency, which contains...
, Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
to Amritsar
Amritsar
Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
, Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
. Critics and observers alike noted that the maiden journey was chosen between two commercially unimportant routes as many local Bihari
Bihari people
The Biharis are an ethnic group originating from the present state of Bihar with a history going back three millennia...
people had migrated to Punjab and Yadav's origination from Bihar led him to choose this route for political purposes. Despite the criticism, the Garib Rath has received positive reviews, with the train capacity reaching near 100% in off-season timings.
Garib Rath trains are also slated to have many amenities such as fridge, microwave oven, tv, cooler, fan, toaster. They have continuous running electronic display which will show distance remaining, next station name and expected time to reach there. The coaches also decorated with beautiful paintings of Indian heritage artwork.
The emergence of the Garib Rath has led to more connections between commercially important routes, where these trains run faster and make fewer stops, such as the Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
- Hazrat Nizamuddin Garibrath compared to the Bhopal Shatabdi
Bhopal Shatabdi
Bhopal Shatabdi Express is a train operated by the Northern Railway which runs between New Delhi, the main railway station of India's capital territory, New Delhi. and Bhopal Junction the main railway station of Bhopal City, the state capital of central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The train is...
, Bandra-Hazrat Nizammudin
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
Express compared to the August Kranti Rajdhani Express
August Kranti Rajdhani Express
The August Kranti Rajdhani Express which connects Mumbai to Delhi Hazrat Nizamuddin, is a sister train to the main Mumbai Rajdhani. It is named after the August Kranti Maidan formerly known as the Gowalia Tank Maidan from where the Quit India Movement was launched in August 1942.-Service:The...
.
Current services
- Jabalpur - Mumbai Garibrath ExpressJabalpur - Mumbai Garibrath ExpressThe Jabalpur – Mumbai Garibrath Express is a Bi-Weekly AC-Train Service offered by West Central Railway, Which is running between Jabalpur in Eastern Madhya Pradesh and Mumbai CST in Mumbai, Maharashtra.-Number and Nomenclature:...
(Bi Weekly) - NagpurNagpurNāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
- PunePunePune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
Garib Rath (Thrice weekly) - RanchiRanchi-Climate:Ranchi has a humid subtropical climate. However, due to its position and the forests around the city, it is known for its pleasant climate. Its climate is the primary reason why Ranchi was once the summer capital of the undivided State of Bihar...
- New Delhi Railway StationNew Delhi Railway StationThe New Delhi Railway Station , station code NDLS, situated between Ajmeri Gate and Paharganj is the main railway station in Delhi. New Delhi railway station is the second busiest and one of the largest in India. It handles over 300 trains each day with 16 platforms and about 360,000 passengers...
via Barkakana (Bi Weekly) - SaharsaSaharsaSaharsa is a city and a municipality in the Saharsa district in the Indian state of Bihar in north India, east of the Kosi River. It is the administrative headquarters of the Saharsa District, and is in the Kosi Division. Sahrasa is also the name of the Parliamentary constituency, which contains...
- AmritsarAmritsarAmritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
via New DelhiNew DelhiNew Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
& LucknowLucknowLucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
. (Tri Weekly) - Jammu TawiJammu TawiJammu Tawi is a Railway station in Jammu, in India. It is very well connected with the major cities of India such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Pune, Ahemedabad, Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Jaipur, Patna, Lucknow, Varanasi, Vadodara, Gorakhpur, Dehradun,...
- Kathogodam near Nainital. - Kanpur CentralKanpur CentralKanpur Central is the major intercity rail station and a commuter rail hub in the Indian city of Kanpur. It falls is one of the most busiest stations in India. The Kanpur Central Railway Station is on the main Howrah - Delhi route broad gauge in Uttar Pradesh...
- Kathogodam near Nainital. - Anand ViharAnand Vihar Railway TerminalAnand Vihar Railway Terminal , station code ANVT, is a large railway station in the Anand Vihar locality of Delhi, India...
, Delhi - PatnaPatnaPaṭnā , is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar and the second largest city in Eastern India . Patna is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world...
, Jamalpur, BhagalpurBhagalpurBhagdattpuram was one of the most influential towns in "Aryavarta" . It is supposed to have been concurrent to Patliputra or Patna. Bhagdattpuram finds its mention in the Vedas and Ramayana as well. It is supposed to be the kingdom of Daanvir Karna, the son of Kunti and the Sun God...
(Tri Weekly) - Anand ViharAnand Vihar Railway TerminalAnand Vihar Railway Terminal , station code ANVT, is a large railway station in the Anand Vihar locality of Delhi, India...
, Delhi - JayanagarJainagar, BiharJainagar is a city and a notified area in Madhubani district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is situated on the holy river Kamla. Jainagar is now well connected by broad gauge railway system with the major cities of India, and has a railway line to Nepal, though this is currently in poor condition...
, BiharBiharBihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
(Bi Weekly) - Hazrat Nizamuddin, Delhi - ChennaiChennaiChennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
(Weekly via. Bhopal JunctionBhopal JunctionBhopal Junction is a Major Railway Junction of India and main railway station of Bhopal City, the capital of Madhya Pradesh.-Construction:...
) - Hazrat Nizamuddin, Delhi - Bandra, MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
(Tri Weekly) - Anand Vihar Terminus - VaranasiVaranasi-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
via LucknowLucknowLucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
(TriWeekly) - KochuveliKochuveli Railway StationKochuveli Railway Station Malayalam:കൊച്ചുവേളി is one of the main stations of Thiruvananthapuram city in the Indian state of Kerala. It is being developed to ease congestion on Thiruvananthapuram central station....
- Lokmanya Tilak TerminusLokmanya Tilak TerminusLokmanya Tilak Terminus , formerly known as Kurla Terminus , is a railhead in a suburb of Mumbai, India. LTT is managed by the Central Railway...
(Bi weekly and only Garib Rath Via KonkanKonkanThe Konkan also called the Konkan Coast or Karavali is a rugged section of the western coastline of India from Raigad to Mangalore...
) - KochuveliKochuveli Railway StationKochuveli Railway Station Malayalam:കൊച്ചുവേളി is one of the main stations of Thiruvananthapuram city in the Indian state of Kerala. It is being developed to ease congestion on Thiruvananthapuram central station....
- YeswanthpurYeswanthpurYeswanthpur is an industrial-cum-residential area located in the north western part of Bangalore City in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is close to areas like Malleswaram and Mathikere and the famous MS Ramaiah college and hospitals. It has a central bus stand providing connectivity to various...
Triweekly express via Coimbatore JunctionCoimbatore JunctionCoimbatore Junction erstwhile Kovai junction, is the railway station located in heart of the city Coimbatore. The station code is CBE. It has 6 platforms. It is a Major Railway junction in South India and the second busiest railway station in Tamil Nadu in terms of passenger movement... - KolkataKolkataKolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
- PatnaPatnaPaṭnā , is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar and the second largest city in Eastern India . Patna is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world... - Kolkata - Guwahati Garib Rath ExpressKolkata - Guwahati Garib Rath ExpressThe Kolkata-Guwahati Garib Rath Express is a bi-weekly superfast Garib Rath Express, that runs between Guwahati to Kolkata Terminus , operated by NF Railway zone of Indian Railway. It falls into the category of Garib Rath type trains meaning poor man's chariot...
- PuriPuriPuri is district headquarter, a city situated about south of state capital Bhubaneswar, on the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal in the Indian state of Orissa. It is also known as Jagannath Puri after the Jagannath Temple . It is a holy city of the Hindus as a part of the Char Dham pilgrimages...
-Howrah - GuwahatiGuwahatiGuwahati, Pragjyotishpura in ancient Assam formerly known as Gauhati is a metropolis,the largest city of Assam in India and ancient urban area in North East India, with a population of 963,429. It is also the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India...
- PatnaPatnaPaṭnā , is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar and the second largest city in Eastern India . Patna is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world... - LucknowLucknowLucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
- Raipur - SecunderabadSecunderabadSecunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
- Yesvantpur, BangaloreBangaloreBengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and... - Secundrabad - Vishakhapatnam (Daily)- First Garib Rath to run dailySecunderabad Vishakhapatnam Garib Rath ExpressThe Secunderabad - Visakhapatnam Garib Rath Express is a daily running superfast garib rath train of the Indian Railways connecting Secunderabad Railway Station to Visakhapatnam , which started as a tri-weekly train and then ran for 4 days a week and finally made a daily train. This is the first...
- HatiaHatiaHatia is a small town and railway station in Ranchi district, Jharkhand, India. It is adjacent to Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand. One of the premier technical institutions in the field of Metallurgical engineering, the National Institute of Foundry and Forge Technology, is situated here. Hatia...
, RanchiRanchi-Climate:Ranchi has a humid subtropical climate. However, due to its position and the forests around the city, it is known for its pleasant climate. Its climate is the primary reason why Ranchi was once the summer capital of the undivided State of Bihar...
- BhubaneswarBhubaneswarBhubaneswar is the capital of the Indian state of Orissa, officially Odisha. The city has a long history of over 2000 years starting with Chedi dynasty who had Sisupalgarh near present-day Bhubaneswar as their capital...
(Tri Weekly) - Delhi Sarai Rohilla - Bandra, MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
via JaipurJaipurJaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million.... - YeswanthpurYeswanthpurYeswanthpur is an industrial-cum-residential area located in the north western part of Bangalore City in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is close to areas like Malleswaram and Mathikere and the famous MS Ramaiah college and hospitals. It has a central bus stand providing connectivity to various...
(BangaloreBangaloreBengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
) -SecunderabadSecunderabadSecunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
(Tri-Weekly) - YeswanthpurYeswanthpurYeswanthpur is an industrial-cum-residential area located in the north western part of Bangalore City in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is close to areas like Malleswaram and Mathikere and the famous MS Ramaiah college and hospitals. It has a central bus stand providing connectivity to various...
(BangaloreBangaloreBengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
) -Pondicherry (Weekly) - YeswanthpurYeswanthpurYeswanthpur is an industrial-cum-residential area located in the north western part of Bangalore City in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is close to areas like Malleswaram and Mathikere and the famous MS Ramaiah college and hospitals. It has a central bus stand providing connectivity to various...
- Sainagar Shirdi - JaipurJaipurJaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
- ChandigarhChandigarhChandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
(Tri-Weekly) - Anand Vihar - Bapudham Motihari
- PunePunePune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
- NagpurNagpurNāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
(Tri-Weekly)
Future Services
Services likely to start shortly- Bhopal - Lucknow Garib Rath Express (Weekly)
- Bhopal -Mumbai CST Garib Rath Express (Bi-Weekly)
- Kochuveli- Secunderabad
- Ajmer-Bhagalpur via Delhi Garib Rath Express (Bi-Weekly)
- Jammu Tawi-Darbhanga Garib Rath Express (Weekly)
- Sitamarhi-Delhi Garib Rath Express via Patna (Weekly)
- Kochuveli- Allepy-Yeshwanthpur