Shonar Bangla Express


The Shonar Bangla Express is an inter-city rail service run by Bangladesh Railway. This service provides a swift and luxurious passenger rail connection between the capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka and the port city of Chattogram. This service only has one intermediate stop at Dhaka Airport.

History

Shonar Bangla was introduced as a nonstop inter-city train that offers quality food and fast service. Since its inauguration, the train had started from Dhaka Railway Station. Shonar Bangla gets the 2nd top priority on Bangladesh Railway network. It only gives stoppage at Dhaka Airport Station. The train fare is similar to that of Suborno Express. Since 2021, food price is not included in the tickets supplied by Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation. On 16 April 2023, during an Eid trip, Shonar Bangla derailed and hit a goods train in Nangalkot, Comilla at 6:30PM. Fifty people were injured.

Schedule

The train departs Dhaka railway station at 07:00 AM and arrives in Chattogram at 11:55 AM. On the return trip, it departs Chattogram at 05:00 PM and arrives in Dhaka at 09:55 PM. This train runs 6 days a week and weekly holiday is Wednesday from dhaka to chattogram route, and Tuesday for Chattogram to Dhaka route.

Carriages

The train currently runs with 14 Indonesia-made red-green PT INKA air-brake coaches. However, sometimes the train pulls up to 18 coaches if there is compelling demand. These coaches were imported in 2016. However after the accident at 16th April 2023. 7 compartments was badly damaged to even be repaired. Shonar Bangla temporarily used South Korean coaches made by Sung Sing Rolling Stock Technology for the Eid Trips on April 19th after suspending Shonar Bangla Service for 3 days before switching to Indonesian Made PT-INKA.

Locomotive

Shonar Bangla Express is hauled by a Class 3000 of Bangladesh Railway. The train needs an air-braked locomotive which is mandatory.

Stations