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Route map
	Legend

Bandhan Express
Overview
Service type	AC Express
Status	Temporally non-operational
First service	9 November 2017; 7 years ago
Last service	18 July 2024; 5 months ago
Current operator(s)	West Zone of Bangladesh Railway & Eastern Railway zone of Indian Railway
Route
Termini	Kolkata (KOAA); Khulna (KLNB)
Stops	3
Distance travelled	172 km (107 mi)
Average journey time	5 hours 20 mins
Service frequency	Bi-weekly
Train number(s)	13129/13130
On-board services
Class(es)	AC First Class (1A) ; AC Chair Car (CC)
Seating arrangements	Yes
Sleeping arrangements	Yes
Catering facilities	No
Entertainment facilities	No
Technical
Rolling stock	LHB coach
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Route map
Route map
	Legend

This article contains Bengali text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols.

The Bandhan Express train (Bengali: বন্ধন এক্সপ্রেস) is an international express rail service which runs between the Indian city Kolkata and the Bangladeshi city Khulna every week. It is the second modern day, fully air conditioned passenger train link between the Indian state West Bengal and Bangladesh. The Bengali word Bandhan means bonding when translated to English. It was initially referred to as the Maitree Express II. A valid visa and passport is required before purchasing a ticket for the Bandhan Express train. Tickets are available at Khulna railway station in Bangladesh and at Chitpur Station in Kolkata, India. The train service is currently paused indefinitely due to political upheaval in Bangladesh since July-August 2024.

The commercial run of this train was suspended in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020. However, the train resumed its normal operations from 29 May 2022.^[1]^[2] Together with the Maitree Express train and the Mitali Express train, the Bandhan Express train is one of three modern day fully air conditioned passenger train links between the India and Bangladesh.

History

Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi; Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina; and Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, flagged off the Kolkata–Khulna Bandhan Express train service via video conference from Kolkata on 9 November 2017.^[3]

Naming

After the Kolkata–Dhaka Maitree Express train was operational, it was proposed to name this second India–Bangladesh train on the Kolkata–Khulna route as 'Sonartari'.^[3] But the same name is used in the railways and trains of both countries and hence it was omitted. Then the names Sampritee and Bandhan were offered. Finally the name Bandhan meaning Bonding was unanimously accepted.^[3]

Route

The route recreates the previous Barisal Express route. The train starts at Kolkata railway station on the Indian side, stopping at Dum Dum and Bangaon before reaching the Indian border at Petrapole. The train then crosses to Benapole on the Bangladeshi side, going through Jhikargachha & Jessore, before reaching Khulna railway station.^[4]^[5] There are no immigration or customs checks at the international border between India and Bangladesh for this train. The immigration process is done in Kolkata and Khulna. A valid visa and passport is required before purchasing a ticket for the Bandhan Express train. Tickets are available at Khulna Railway Station in Bangladesh and at Chitpur Station in Kolkata, India.

On 8 March 2019 both Government agreed to make a 3-minute halt at Jessore in order to attract more passengers and 200 tickets are reserved for the passengers from Jessore station.^[6]^[7]

Timings and frequency

Since its inauguration, the train only ran on Thursdays but from February 2020, the frequency was increased and now it runs twice a week, Sunday and Thursday.^[8]

Kolkata to Khulna (13129)^[9]
Station	Arrival	Departure	Zone
Kolkata	–	07:10 IST	ER
Petrapole	08:55 IST	09:05 IST	ER
Benapole	09:35 BST	10:15 BST	BR
Jessore	11:30 BST	11:33 BST
Khulna	12:30 BST	–

Khulna to Kolkata (13130)^[9]
Station	Arrival	Departure	Zone
Khulna	–	13:30 BST	BR
Jessore	14:27 BST	14:30 BST
Benapole	14:45 BST	16:00 BST
Petrapole	16:10 IST	16:20 IST	ER
Kolkata	18:10 IST	–	ER

Coach composition

Pure LHB coach in red-grey (used by Rajdhani Expresses) and sky blue-grey (used by Shatabdi Expresses) manufactured in India, are used for this train.