Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express is one of the premier train in the exclusive fleet of Rajdhani Expresses of Indian Railways. It connects New Delhi in Delhi and Dibrugarh in Assam.

Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express

Dibrugarh Rajdhani entering Katihar Junction
Overview
Service type	Rajdhani Express
Locale	Assam, Nagaland, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh & Delhi
Current operator(s)	Northern Railways & Northeast Frontier Railways
Route
Termini	Dibrugarh (DBRG) New Delhi (NDLS)
Stops	21 as 12423/24, 24 as 20503/04, 24 as 20505/06
Distance travelled	2,276 kilometres (1,414 mi) (via Barauni Junction) 2,452 kilometres (1,524 mi) (via Muzaffarpur Junction) 2,458 kilometres (1,527 mi) (via Chhapra Junction)
Average journey time	37 hrs (Approx.)
Service frequency	Daily
Train number(s)	12423/12424 20503/20504 20505/20506
On-board services
Class(es)	AC 1st Class, AC 2 Tier, AC 3 Tier
Seating arrangements	Yes
Sleeping arrangements	Yes
Auto-rack arrangements	Available
Catering facilities	Available (included in the ticket)
Observation facilities	Large windows
Baggage facilities	Available
Technical
Rolling stock	LHB coaches
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed	56 km/h (35 mph) average including halts
Route map

History

• The first version of this train was inaugurated on 26 October 1996 as Guwahati Rajdhani Express which ran via Barauni. It was flagged off by Ram Vilas Paswan (former Minister of Railways) which runs as a weekly service.[1] The frequency was later increased to tri-weekly in 1997.[2]
• Later, on 11 January 1999, the Second set of Guwahati Rajdhani Express was inaugurated which runs through Chhapra. It was flagged off by Nitish Kumar (former Minister of Railways) which runs as a bi-weekly service.
• After that, on 24 March 2010, the third set of Guwahati Rajdhani Express was inaugurated which runs through Muzaffarpur. It was flagged off by Mamata Banerjee (former Minister of Railways) which runs as a weekly service.[3]
• Later due to public demand in 2012, The three sets of Rajdhani was extended up to Dibrugarh and runs as Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express and also the frequency of First Set was increased to daily service.[4][5]
• February 2021: 20503/04 Dibrugarh Rajdhani frequency increased to 5 days a week from Weekly.[6]

Route & halts

• 1st set of Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express with numbered 12423/12424 goes via New Tinsukia, Mariani, Dimapur, Lumding,

Guwahati, New Bongaigaon,New Coochbehar, New Jalpaiguri, Kishanganj,Katihar, Barauni, Patna Junction, Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction, Prayagraj Junction, Kanpur Central to New Delhi.

• 2nd set of Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express with numbered 20503/20504 goes via Mariani, Dimapur, Lumding, Guwahati, New Bongaigaon, New Jalpaiguri, New Coochbehar, Kishanganj,Katihar, Samastipur, Muzaffarpur Junction, Hajipur Junction, Chhapra Junction, Ballia, Varanasi, Lucknow Charbagh, Bareilly, Moradabad to New Delhi.
• 3rd set of Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express with numbered 20505/20506 goes via Dhemaji, North Lakhimpur, Viswanath Charali, Rangapara North Junction, New Missamari, Rangiya, New Bongaigaon, New Alipurduar, New Jalpaiguri Junction, New Coochbehar,Kishanganj, Katihar, Begusarai, Barauni Junction, Hajipur Junction, Chhapra Junction, Ballia, Varanasi, Lucknow Charbagh. Bareilly,. Moradabad to New Delhi.

Traction

All set of Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express (except for the third set of Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express numbered 20505/20506) are hauled by a Diesel Loco Shed, Siliguri-based WDP-4 / WDP-4B / WDP-4D diesel locomotive from Dibrugarh to Guwahati, after Guwahati it is hauled by a Electric Loco Shed, Ghaziabad-based WAP-7 electric locomotive until New Delhi and vice versa. In case of 20505/20506, the WAP-7 hauls the train from New Delhi to Rangiya and vice versa and the Diesel Loco Shed, Siliguri-based WDP-4 / WDP-4B / WDP-4D diesel locomotive takes over for its journey from Rangiya to Dibrugarh and vice versa.

Derailment

On 25 June 2014, this train derailed in Chhapra, Bihar, killing four people and seriously injuring eight.[7] Sabotage by Naxalites was considered but ruled out as the cause of the crash.[8] Also, on 6 December 2016 derailed in Allipurduar district of west Bengal.

Gallery

• 
  12423 Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express in New Delhi.
• 
  12424 Dibrugarh Town Rajdhani Express departing Katihar Junction
• 
  20504 Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express arriving Katihar Junction
• 
  02423 Dibrugarh Rajdhani COVID-19 Special with SGUJ WDP4 arriving Katihar
• 
  02423 Dibrugarh Rajdhani COVID-19 Special with GZB WAP7 arriving Katihar
• 
  02423 Dibrugarh Rajdhani (COVID-19 AC Special) leaving Katihar

See also

• Indian Railways
• Express trains in India
• List of named passenger trains of India

References