Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the Tejas Express, India’s first privately operated train, run by IRCTC. The train will connect Lucknow and New Delhi and begin commercial operations on Saturday.
Key Features of Tejas Express
- The Tejas Express will reduce travel time between Lucknow and New Delhi to just 6 hours and 15 minutes, making it faster than the Swarn Shatabdi, which takes 6 hours and 40 minutes.
- CM Adityanath called the launch a milestone in Indian rail history and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal for their support. He emphasized that such initiatives should be expanded to other cities to promote eco-friendly public transport.
Convenience and Affordability
- Ticket prices for the Tejas Express are competitive, with AC chair car seats starting at Rs 1,280 and executive chair car seats at Rs 2,450, though dynamic pricing may cause tickets to rise to Rs 4,325.
- The train operates six days a week. It departs Lucknow at 6:10 AM and arrives in Delhi by 12:25 PM. The return journey leaves Delhi at 3:35 PM and reaches Lucknow at 10:05 PM.
Two Stops and Fast Service
- The train will make only two stops, in Kanpur and Ghaziabad, making it the fastest option on this route.
Future Prospects
- If successful, the Tejas Express could open the door for more private operators to manage train services in India, further enhancing connectivity.
