Gitanjali Express
Introduction The 12859 / 12860 '''''Gitanjali Express''''' is a daily train running between two metro cities, Kolkata, () in West Bengal and Mumbai, (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus) in Maharashtra connecting the East with the West. Numbered 12859/60 this train belongs to the Superfast category. This train takes 30½ hrs to cover the distance of 1968 km between Mumbai and Howrah while the return takes 31 hrs 15 mins. This is first train which depart behind pure AC Loco from Mumbai CSMT after conversion of Mumbai CSMT to Thane from DC to AC. It has the top most priority in Howrah Mumbai route.
Relevance Rabindranath Tagore, a famous poet of India, wrote the book ''Gitanjali''. Since this train, too, starts from Bengal this train has the same name. This is the first Classless train in India, introduced by Ex Railway Minister Prof. Madhu Dandvate on 26 December 1977.
Train schedule '''From Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus to Howrah — 12859'''. The train starts from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus everyday. Station code Station name Arrival Departure '''CSMT''' '''Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus''' ---  '''06:00'''DRDadar Central06:1206:15 KYN  Kalyan Junction  06:52  06:55        NKNashik Road09:2509:30JLJalgaon11:5812:00 BSL  Bhusaval Junction  12:40  12:45MKUMalkapur13:2913:30SEGShegaon14:1414:15 AK  Akola  14:45  14:50 BD  Badnera  16:12  16:15WRWardha Junction 17:1817:20 NGP  Nagpur Junction  18:55  19:00BRDBhandara Road19:5119:53 G  Gondia  20:48  20:50 RJN  Raj Nandgaon  22:07  22:09 DURG  Durg Junction  22:50  22:55 R  Raipur Junction  23:30  23:35BSPBilaspur Junction01:2001:35RIGRaigarh03:1103:13JSGJharsuguda04:2804:30ROURourkela Junction05:4405:52CKPChakradhapur07:1307:15TATATatanagar Junction08:1508:25KGPKharagpur10:2310:28SRCSantragachi Junction11:4711:48 '''HWH''' '''Howrah''' '''12:30'''  ---Note : Train stops at Kasara & Igatpuri Railway Station only for Bankers Loco attachment & removal at the back of the Train. There is no Commercial halt at these Stations. '''From Howrah to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus — 12860'''. The train starts from Howrah everyday. Station code Station name Arrival Departure '''HWH''' '''Howrah''' ---  '''14:05'''KGPKharagpur 15:4015:45 TATA  Tatanagar Junction  17:41  17:48CKPChakradharpur 18:4518:47ROURourkela Junction 20:1220:20 JSG  Jharsuguda  21:53  21:55RIGRaigarh22:5823:00BSPBilaspur Junction 01:0001:15 R  Raipur Junction  02:45  02:50 DURG  Durg Junction  03:45  03:50RJNRaj Nandgaon 04:1204:14 G  Gondia  05:40  05:42BRDBhandara Road06:2906:31 NGP  Nagpur Junction  07:40  07:45 WR  Wardha Junction  08:48  08:50 BD  Badnera  10:32  10:35 AK  Akola  11:30  11:35SEGShegaon12:0312:05MKUMalkapur12:4312:45BSLBhusaval Junction 13:4513:50JLJalgaon14:1814:20NKNashik Road17:0517:10    KYNKalyan Junction 20:0220:05DRDadar Central20:4720:50 '''CSMT''' '''Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus''' '''21:20'''  ---
Arrival and departure Train No.12859 leaves source point, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus at 6:00 am and reaches its destination station Howrah Junction at 12:30 noon the next day.Train No.12860 leaves Howrah Junction at 2:05 pm and reach its destination, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus at 9:20 pm next day.
Traction It is hauled by a Santragachi based WAP-7 Locomotive (End to End). Top speed permissible is 130 km/h.
Coach composition  Loco 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 2225px SLRGENS1S2S3S4S5S6S7PCM1M2M3B1B2B3B4B5A1A2GENEOG
See also *Dedicated Intercity trains of India
References
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