Hirakud Express

Not to be confused with Hirakhand Express.

Hirakud Superfast Express
Overview
Service typeExpress train
LocaleAndhra Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab
First service1 July 1992; 32 years ago (1992-07-01)
Current operator(s)South Coast Railway
Route
TerminiVisakhapatnam (VSKP)
Amritsar Junction (ASR)
Stops44
Distance travelled2,570 km (1,597 mi)
Average journey time45 hours 45 minutes
Service frequencyTri-weekly
Train number(s)20807 / 20808
On-board services
Class(es)AC 2 tier, AC 3 tier, Sleeper Class, General Unreserved
Seating arrangementsYes
Sleeping arrangementsYes
Catering facilitiesAvailable
Observation facilitiesLarge windows
Baggage facilitiesUnder the seats
Technical
Rolling stockLHB coach
Track gauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed56 km/h (35 mph) average with halts.
Route map

The 20807 / 20808 Hirakud Superfast Express is a tri-weekly express train which runs between Amritsar and Visakhapatnam. It passes through the cities of Delhi, Agra, Gwalior, Jhansi, Bilaspur, Sambalpur, Bhubaneswar and Brahmapur. It was initially introduced between Sambalpur and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station (Delhi) in 1992. Later in 2002 it was extended to Bhubaneswar and thereafter up to Visakhapatnam and Amritsar in the coming years.

Etymology

Hira means diamond and Kud means island in Sambalpuri language spoken in Western Odisha. Sambalpur was famous as an ancient diamond mine and reference about it can be found in the works of Claudius Ptolemy, Edward Gibbon, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. Hirakud Express is named after the famous Hirakud Dam in Sambalpur, Odisha which is one of the longest dams of India.

Coach composition

The coach composition of the 18507/18508 train is:

  • 1 AC 2 Tier
  • 4 AC 3 Tier
  • 6 Sleeper Class
  • 4 Second Class(Unreserved)
  • 1 Pantry Car
  • 1 EOG
  • 1 SRL

From Visakhapatnam to Amritsar

Loco 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
EOG GEN S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 PC S6 A1 B1 B2 B3 B4 GEN GEN GEN SLR

From Amritsar to Visakhapatnam

Loco 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
SLR GEN GEN GEN B4 B3 B2 B1 A1 S6 PC S5 S4 S3 S2 S1 GEN EOG

Timetable

  • 20807- Starts from Visakhapatnam every Saturday, Tuesday and Friday reaches Amritsar Junction on 3rd day.
  • 20808- Starts from Amritsar Jn every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday and reaches Visakhapatnam on 3rd day.

Route & halts

Rake sharing

The train shares its rake with 20811/20812 Visakhapatnam–Hazur Sahib Nanded Superfast Express.

Traction

It is hauled by a Visakhapatnam Loco Shed based WAP-7 electric locomotive on its entire journey.

See also

References