The 12501 / 12502 Kolkata–Agartala Garib Rath Express is a Garib Rath class train of Indian Railways, which connects the state capital of West Bengal, Kolkata to the state capital of Tripura, Agartala. It is the newest train service of its class. The train is operated by the North East Frontier Railway Zone (NFR) of the Indian Railways.
History The train was originally launched as an air-conditioned special train after the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to poor patronage, the service was repeatedly scrapped and reintroduced, before on 21 June 2024, the North East Frontier Railway Zone informed the public of the introduction of the Kolkata - Agartala Garib Rath service from July onwards, practically regularising the special train. The first service commenced on 5 July 2024.
Service The 12501 Kolkata - Agartala Garib Rath Express leaves at 21:45 hrs every Sunday and reaches the day after the next day at 06:55 hrs. It covers the journey in 33 hours 10 minutes averaging at . The 12502 Agartala – Kolkata Garib Rath Express leaves at 07:30 hrs every Wednesday and reaches the next day at 14:35 hrs. It covers the journey in 31 hours 05 minutes averaging at .
Coach composition
The Kolkata–Agartala Garib Rath Express consists of 22 Linke-Hoffman Busch Third AC Economy (3E) coaches (since ICF cancelled the train inaugurated with LHB Red coach). It has a single rake, which it shares with the Kolkata - Guwahati Garib Rath Express. Primary maintenance is executed at and secondary maintenance at .
Coach Position of 12501 (ex. Kolkata) Loco12345678910111213141516171819202122EOGG20G19G18G17G16G15G14G13G12G11G10G9G8G7G6G5G4G3G2G1EOG
Coach Position of 12502 (ex. Agartala) Loco12345678910111213141516171819202122EOGG1G2G3G4G5G6G7G8G9G10G11G12G13G14G15G16G17G18G19G20EOG
Passengers are advised to check the coach position indicators at the station before boarding.
Traction The train is hauled by a Howrah based WAP-4 or a based WAP-7 electric locomotive to New Cooch Behar station. From there, it is hauled by a Siliguri based WDP-4 or a WDP-4D diesel locomotive to its destination.
Route and halts The stoppages are:-
Other trains on the Kolkata–New Jalpaiguri sector 22301/02 Howrah–New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express 12041/42 New Jalpaiguri–Howrah Shatabdi Express 12377/78 Padatik Express 12343/44 Darjeeling Mail 15959/60 Kamrup Express (via Guwahati) 15961/62 Kamrup Express (via Bogibeel) 13173/74 Sealdah–Agartala Kanchanjunga Express 13175/76 Sealdah–Silchar Kanchanjunga Express 12345/46 Saraighat Express 15721/22 New Jalpaiguri-Digha Express 13141/42 Teesta Torsha Express 13147/48 Uttar Banga Express 13149/50 Kanchan Kanya Express 13181/82 Kolkata–Silghat Town Kaziranga Express 22511/12 Lokmanya Tilak Terminus–Kamakhya Karmabhoomi Express 15643/44 Puri–Kamakhya Weekly Express (via Howrah) 12363/64 Kolkata–Haldibari Intercity Express 13115/16 Sealdah - Jalpaiguri Road Humsafar Express
See also Garib Rath Express Kolkata - Guwahati Garib Rath Express
Notes
References