Bangladesh trip will remain incomplete if you do not have travel on the train. The experience might be not up to the mark but certainly, you will get some thrills and enjoyments.
A train station is a place where you will see lots of people. They are moving here and there, the madly rush, the crowd, arrival of the train, boarding and getting off from the train, small vendors selling their items – all are exciting.
The views are not available in the other countries of the world. Thereby, it would be a nice one for you. Considering all the grounds, you must take at least a single ride on the train of Bangladesh during your trip here.
Most of the rail links in Bangladesh were built during the British colonial period. The railways connect most of the large cities and towns across the country. The cities and towns include Dhaka, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Chattogram, among others.
The rail network of Bangladesh is separated into two parts. They are – eastern and western. It is the River Jamuna that also divides the country into two sections.
The domination of the broad gauge rail line is seen on the western rail network while the eastern one belongs to the meter gauge.
The gross railway route length is around 2855 kilometers. In Bangladesh, Bangladesh Railway (BR) is responsible to manage all the operations of the railway. This is a state-run organization as well. If there are any issues, the BR takes the necessary steps to resolve them.
A large number of people travel by train due to the features and facilities. All the features have made it more accessible to the people. Besides, the ticket prices are reasonable than other transportation modes.
The government provides subsidies in this sector to bring comfort to the lives of people. Besides, the subsidy also contributes to the local economy as well.
If you want to make a journey by train, you need to reserve your berth or seat at least five to six days before the trip.
Bangladeshi train types
Generally, there are three types of trains available in Bangladesh. They are
- Inter-city trains
- Mail trains
- Express trains
Inter-city trains: Such trains are the best of their quality. The train compartments have air-conditioned. Besides, there is a restaurant on the train while you will get first and second class seats in there as well.
Mail trains: Generally the mail trains are slower in speed and especially they are slower than the inter-city trains. The mail trains have second class berth sleepers. Besides, you will get first-class berth sleepers as well. Interestingly, mail trains have three types of seats. They include – first class, second class, and third class.
Express trains: Express trains are almost similar to the inter-city trains. They have air-conditioned cabins.
Classes of traveling in a train of Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, you will get three types of classes during a train ride. They are air-conditioned, first-class seats and second class seats.
Interestingly, the second class is divided into three sections. The sections are – Shovon (decent), Shovon Chair (decent chair) and Shulov (economic). Besides, some of the trains have mail compartments as well. The inter-city trains usually run with a power car and a pantry car.
Please remember, the majority of the inter-city trains come with the provision of partial air condition. The seats are padded and made of leather. The seats of the berths are also similar.
If you need it, you can get a sheet for your needs during the night journey. Alongside the sheet, you will get a pillow and blanket. Moreover, you will have the option of refreshments as well.
The First-class AC (also known as Tapanukul)
If you want to have a luxury, this is the right one for you. And this is an expensive class too. The coaches come with air-conditioning and run in the inter-city routes. You will get all the modern features in the cabins.
The First-class
The first-class cabins do not have any air-conditioning features. But you can travel in a comfortable manner with sleeping berths.
The first-class chair.
The first-class chair contains seats inside the cabin. The broad gauge trains have five seats in a row inside the cabin while the meter gauge has four seats.
Second-class (Shovon Chair)
This is the most preferable coach to the mass people due to low fair. Regardless of the price, you will have a satisfactory journey.
Second-class Shovon
The Shovon chairs are comparatively cheaper. So, a notable number of commuters use these types of seats for their regular communication. But the seats are not that much comfortable.
Second-class Shulov
Shulov is the cheapest mode of accommodation on a train in Bangladesh. The wood and steel-made seats are not comfortable. Therefore, such cabins are used inside the city. The most interesting issue is that the seats are not always available.
You may or may not get a seat due to the extreme crowd inside the coach.
Schedules
Bangladesh Railway operates the trains in major cities and towns across the country. However, some of the trains do not operate every day. They have day offs too. And they take the day off at the end of the week.
But if you need a comprehensive train schedule in Bangladesh, it is wise to check the railway website. You will get all the necessary and detailed information there.
Train travel from Bangladesh to India
On April 14 in 2008, the ‘Maitree (Friendship) Express’ was inaugurated. The inauguration day was also the Bengali New Year. The train made its maiden journey on the day and it’s history now.
Besides, goods train services also available between the two neighboring states. The Indian government has approved another fresh rail link from the Agartala of India to Akhaura of Bangladesh.
Trips Calendar
Maitree Express provides a Bi-Weekly service. The train starts a journey to Kolkata from Dhaka on Friday from Dhaka to Kolkata. The next day (Saturday), another train starts the journey from Kolkata to Dhaka.
Besides, two other trains run from Dhaka to Kolkata and Kolkata to Dhaka on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Fares
- AC First-class/ Cabin – USD 20 plus 15 % Vat
- AC Car Chair– USD 13 plus 15 % Vat.
- Non-AC Chair Car – USD 8 – no Vat applicable.
- The passengers are to pay BDT 300 as Travel Tax during the ticket purchase.
Finally, I would like to say that traveling by train in Bangladesh is very enjoyable. I hope you enjoy this article. If you have any questions, feel free to comment on the comment section or contact us.
