Mitali Express

Mitali Express
Train Board of Mitali Express
Overview
Service typeAC Express
First service1 June 2022; 2 years ago (2022-06-01)
Current operator(s)Northeast Frontier Railway zone of Indian Railways & Bangladesh Railway
Route
TerminiNew Jalpaiguri/Siliguri (NJP)
Dhaka Cantonment (DHCA)
Stops3 (2 technical halts)
Distance travelled524 km (326 mi)[1]
Average journey time10 hours 15 mins
Service frequencyBi-Weekly
Train number(s)13131/13132
On-board services
Class(es)AC Chair Car (CC)
First AC (1A)
Seating arrangementsYes
Sleeping arrangementsYes
Catering facilitiesYes
Observation facilitiesLHB coach
Entertainment facilitiesNo
Technical
Track gaugeBroad gauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed51.12 km/h (31.76 mph) with halts
Route map
km
0
New Jalpaiguri
56.5
Haldibari
India and Bangladesh border
66.9
Chilahati
134.5
Parbatipur
511.2
Dhaka

The Mitali Express (13131/13132) train (Bengali: মিতালী এক্সপ্রেস) is an international express rail service which connects the Indian city of Siliguri with the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka every week. Together with the Maitree Express train and the Bandhan Express train, the Mitali Express train is the third modern-day fully air conditioned passenger train link between the Indian state of West Bengal and Bangladesh. Both the prime ministers of the two neighbouring countries officially inaugurated the non-stop passenger train with ten compartments on the new 513 km route from Dhaka on 26 March 2021, the day Bangladesh celebrated the golden jubilee of its independence. The prime minister of India was in Dhaka to mark the auspicious occasion of fifty years of independence of Bangladesh. After 56 years of stoppage, this train route recreates the previous Siliguri route between India and Bangladesh.[2] A valid visa and passport is required beforehand to purchase a ticket for the Mitali Express train. Tickets are available at Dhaka Kamalapur railway station in Dhaka, Bangladesh and at New Jalpaiguri railway station in Siliguri, India.[3][4]

Though the train was inaugurated on 26 March 2021, but in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, its commercial run was postponed since its inauguration.[5] However, the train made its first commercial run and resumed normal operations on 1 June 2022.[6][7]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Mitali was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Dhaka-New Jalpaiguri train fare fixed at Tk2,200". Dhaka Tribune. 9 March 2021.
  3. ^ "'Mitali Express' to be announced on Saturday". The Daily Star. 23 March 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  4. ^ "India To Bangladesh : মিতালি এক্সপ্রেস জুড়লো ভারত- বাংলাকে , ৫৭ বছর পর সম্পর্কের শিকড় হল আরও মজবুত". The Bengali Chronicle (in Bengali). 3 June 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  5. ^ "Mitali Express: Third India-Bangladesh train service to begin from THIS date". DNA India. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  6. ^ "India-Bangladesh Train Service Begins From June". www.india.com. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Mitali Express: Third India-Bangladesh passenger train to run from today". Livemint. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.