Superfast/Mail Trains in India

Shatabdi Superfast Express LHB coaches at Mysore Station

No.12695 Chennai-Trivandrum SF arriving at Platform No.1 in Kollam Junction Railway Station

LHB Coaches of Rajdhani Superfast Express

Superfast Mail/Express trains are express rail services of the Indian Railways. They make few stops, unlike other Mail/Express trains, achieving somewhat shorter journey times. Tickets cost more than Mail/Express rates. As of 2015, 450 pairs of Superfast trains ran on the Indian Railways. The 12908/Maharashtra Sampark Kranti Express (NZM/Hazrat Nizamuddin - BDTS/Bandra Terminus)^[1] is the fastest non-Shatabdi, non-Rajdhani Mail/Express train in India.

In some cases, trains run Superfast where there is an overlapping Mail/Express service available, and run regular Mail/Express trains where there is no supplementary Mail/Express service.

Trains with an average speed, excluding halts, equalling or exceeding 55 kilometres per hour (34 mph) (60 kilometres per hour (37 mph) until the early 1990s) on both up and down journeys fall into the Superfast category and are numbered with a prefix of 12 (previously 2). Including halts (both revenue and scheduled technical halts) the average speed often is below 55 km/h.

Increased stops for political reasons led to a significant reduction in average speed of many trains, despite improvements in track and haulage.

Types

Regular Superfast

Garibrath Express is a Superfast Train

Deccan Queen Superfast Express at Pune

Coromandal Express halted at Kharagpur Junction

Janmabhoomi Superfast Express at Secunderabad

GT Superfast Express near New Delhi

Shramjeevi Superfast Express.

Goutami Superfast Express at Moulali, Andhra Pradesh

These Superfast trains have been Superfast since their inauguration and have not deteriorated till now. These Superfast services maintain an average speed throughout their route and often have the best Rake/Loco Combination. Some of the Daily Superfast Overnight services are as follows:

1. Grand Trunk Express
2. Kerala Express
3. Thiruvananthapuram Mail
4. Chennai Thiruvananthapuram Superfast Express
5. Tamil Nadu Express
6. Bihar Sampark Kranti Superfast Express
7. Mangala Lakshadweep Express
8. Shiv Ganga Express
9. Punjab Mail
10. Malwa Express
11. Gorakhdham Express
12. Shaan-e-Bhopal Express
13. Suryanagri Express
14. Swatantra Sainani Superfast Express
15. Uttar Sampark Kranti Express
16. Magadh Express
17. Prayagraj Express
18. Purushottam Express
19. Lucknow Mail
20. Mahakoshal Express
21. Pandian Express
22. Nellai Express
23. Kanyakumari Express
24. Cheran Express
25. Yercaud Express
26. Nilgiri Express
27. Pearl City Express
28. Mahal Super Fast
29. Bengaluru Mail
30. Mangaluru Mail
31. Mangaluru-Chennai Superfast Express
32. West Coast Express
33. Alleppey Express
34. Palani Express
35. Navjivan Express
36. Sanghamithra Express
37. Indore–Nagpur Express
38. Indore - Mumbai Central Express
39. Bhopal–Rewa Rewanchal Express
40. Hazrat Nizamuddin – Jabalpur Express
41. Dayodaya Express
42. Mewar Express
43. Golden Temple Mail
44. Sewagram Express
45. Saraighat Express
46. Jaipur Superfast Express
47. Lok Shakti Express
48. Swaraj Express
49. Vaishali Express
50. Prayagraj Express
51. Andhra Pradesh Express
52. Godavari Express
53. Goutami Express
54. Simhapuri Express
55. Narayanadri Express
56. Venkatadri Express
57. Paschim Express
58. Sachkhand Express
59. Dakshin Express
60. Manikarnika Express
61. Matsyaganda Express
62. Charminar Express
63. Chennai–Hyderabad Superfast Express
64. Bengaluru–Kachiguda Superfast Express
65. Rajendranagar Express
66. Karnataka Express
67. Goa Express
68. Howrah Chennai Mail
69. Howrah Mumbai Mail (via Nagpur)
70. Imperial Indian Mail (Howrah Mumbai Mail via Allahabad)
71. Hussainsagar Express
72. Dadar Chennai Egmore Express
73. Coromandal Express
74. Kalka Mail
75. Darjeeling Mail
76. Padatik Express
77. North East Express
78. Amarkantak Express
79. Pushpak Express
80. Poorva Express
81. Shramjeevi Superfast Express
82. Kaifiyat Express
83. Sapt Kranti Express
84. Shridham Express
85. Mahabodhi Express
86. Gitanjali Express
87. Bandra Terminus Bhavnagar Terminus Express
88. Falaknuma Express
89. Azad Hind Express
90. Howrah–Yesvantpur Superfast Express
91. Howrah Jodhpur Express
92. Ajmer Sealdah Superfast Express
93. Ajmer Jammu Express
94. Delhi Sarai Rohilla Sri Ganganagar Superfast Express
95. Sri Ganganagar–Kota Superfast Express
96. Allahabad Jaipur Express
97. Mandore Express
98. Howrah Ahmedabad Superfast Express
99. Ahmedabad–Agra Fort Superfast Express
100. Ashram Express
101. Jammu Tawi–Varanasi Begampura Superfast Express
102. Gorakhpur–Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Kabir Dham Superfast Express

Non-Stop Superfast Routes

These Superfast express are not Duronto Expresses, but, like Duronto Expresses, have no intermediate commercial stops and serve as a non-stop connection between the source and the destination station.

There are three of this type:

1. Indore - Bhopal Non-Stop Express between Indore Junction and Bhopal Junction
2. Shram Shakti Express runs between Kanpur Central and New Delhi : No Technical or Commercial Stops
3. Sampoorna Kranti Express runs between Patna and New Delhi : 2 Technical Stops (Mughalsarai and Kanpur Central
4. Vikramshila Express runs between Bhagalpur and New Delhi : 2 Technical Stops but after PNBE to BGP act like a fast Passenger train (Mughalsarai and Kanpur Central

Intercity Superfast Routes

These superfast trains connect two major nearby cities serving commuters and MST Ticket holders. These act as long-distance reserved suburban trains with sitting accommodation. These are quite fast and maintain a high average speed for short distances along with priority over other trains. Some famous Intercity Superfast trains are as follows:

1. Indore–Hazrat Nizamuddin Express/ Indore - Bhopal Intercity Express/ Indore–Gwalior Intercity Express/ Indore–Jabalpur Intercity Express/ Indore–Rewa Intercity Express/ Bhopal–Indore Intercity Express/ Bhopal–Gwalior Intercity Express/ Bhopal–Jabalpur Intercity Express/ Bhopal–Damoh Intercity Express/ Jabalpur–Rewa Intercity Express
2. Deccan Queen/Flying Rani Express/Panchvati Express
3. Gomti Express/Taj Express/Shan-e-Punjab Express/Indrayani Express/Indore Express / Indore–Jodhpur Intercity Express
4. Tamralipta Express/Lal Bagh Express/Brindavan Express/Karnavati Express
5. Pinakini Express/Ratnachal Express/Satavahana Express/Kovai Express/Pragati Express/Vaigai Express/Pallavan Express
6. Jaipur Indore SF Express/Ranthambore Express/Coimbatore–Mangalore Intercity Superfast Express

Upgraded Superfast Routes

These Superfast trains were regular Mail/Express trains when inaugurated but have been upgraded to Superfast with time maintenance of 55 km/h (34 mph). Most Overnight Expresses come under this class. Some are as follows:

1. Howrah Chennai Mail
2. Thiruvananthapuram Mail
3. Charminar Express
4. Lucknow Mail
5. Kaifiyat Express
6. Navjivan Express
7. Pushpak Express
8. Avantika Express
9. Malwa Express
10. Mahakoshal Express
11. Dakshin Express
12. Secunderabad Patna Express
13. Agniveena Express
14. Coalfield Express
15. Shantiniketan Express
16. Dhauli Express
17. Danapur Express
18. Jodhpur Express
19. Mumbai Mail
20. Neelachal Express
21. Asansol Intercity Express
22. Vibhuti Express
23. Darjeeling Mail
24. North East Express

Reinstated Superfast Routes

These Superfast trains were Superfast when inaugurated and were demoted to the regular Mail/Express category, but have subsequently been regraded as Superfast as a result of their increased speed. Some are as follows:

1. Punjab Mail
2. Himgiri Express

Mixed Superfast Routes

These Superfast trains serve as regular Mail/Express/Passenger/Fast Passenger services near the tail section of their route. The result is a drastic decrease in the overall average speed of these trains. Some are as follows:

1. Shramjeevi Express, Magadh Express, Vikramshila Express: Acts as Passenger between Patna and Rajgir, Islampur, Bhagalpur respectively
2. Punjab Mail: Acts as regular Mail/Express Service between Mumbai and Firozpur
3. Sapt Kranti Express: Acts as Fast Passenger Service between Gorakhpur and Muzaffarpur

Accommodation

• Berth:

1. AC First Class (1A): Lockable Cabin - Coupe (for 2) and Compartment (for 4)
2. Non-AC First Class (FC): Lockable Cabin - Coupe (for 2) and Compartment (for 4)
3. AC II Tier (2A): Non Cabin - Compartment (for 4) and Bay (for 2)
4. AC III Tier (3A): Non Cabin - Compartment (for 6) and Bay (for 2)
5. III Tier Sleeper (SL): Non Cabin - Compartment (for 6) and Bay (for 2)
6. Unreserved

• Sitting:

1. AC First Class (1ACC): Sitting Push-back Chairs (2×2)
2. Non-AC First Class (FC): Sitting Push-back Chairs (2×2)
3. AC Chair Car (CC): Sitting Push-back Chairs (3×2)
4. Reserved II Sitting (2S): Sitting Non-Push-back Chairs (3×3)
5. Unreserved II Sitting

See also

• Rajdhani Express
• Shatabdi Express, a category of faster trains
• Duronto Express, a category of faster non-stop trains
• Sampark Kranti Express
• Gorakhdham Superfast Express
• Rajya Rani Express
• Shiv Ganga Express

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Superfast Mail Express.

• List of All Superfast Trains
• List of All Express and Mail Trains

Indian Railways Authority Ministry of Railways Railway Board Zones Central Railway East Central Railway East Coast Railway Eastern Railway North Central Railway North Eastern Railway North Western Railway Northeast Frontier Railway Northern Railway South Central Railway South East Central Railway South Eastern Railway South Western Railway Southern Railway West Central Railway Western Railway Kolkata Metro Production units Chittaranjan Locomotive Works Diesel Locomotive Works Diesel-Loco Modernisation Works Integral Coach Factory Golden Rock Railway Workshop Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala Rail Wheel Factory Rail Spring Karkhana Railway depots Diesel Golden Rock Pune Samastipur MEMU Kollam Subsidiaries Bharat Wagon and Engineering Container Corporation of India Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India High Speed Rail Corporation of India Indian Railway Finance Corporation Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) Ircon International Konkan Railway Corporation Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation Rail Vikas Nigam Limited RailTel Corporation of India RITES Autonomous organisations Central Organisation for Railway Electrification Central Organisation for Modernisation of Workshops Research Design and Standards Organisation Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) Railway Recruitment Control Board Rail Land Development Authority Training institutes Indian Railway Institute of Civil Engineering Indian Railway Institute of Electrical Engineering Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Indian Railway Institute of Signal Engineering and Telecommunications Indian Railway Institute of Transportation Management RPF Academy Railway Staff College Network Chennai Suburban Railway Chennai MRTS Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Delhi Suburban Railway Hyderabad MMTS Kashmir Railway Kalka–Shimla Railway Kolkata Suburban Railway Kolkata Metro Konkan Railway Mumbai Suburban Railway Nilgiri Mountain Railway Golden I.T. Corridor Howrah–Delhi main line Grand Chord Sahibganj Loop Howrah–Allahabad–Mumbai line Howrah–Nagpur–Mumbai line Howrah–Chennai main line New Delhi–Chennai main line Mumbai–Chennai line Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line Ahmedabad–Mumbai Main Line Mathura–Vadodara Section Services AC Express Express trains Fast Passenger Double Decker Express Duronto Garib Rath Express Jan Shatabdi Express Kavi Guru Express Premium train (Suvidha Express) Rajdhani Express Rajya Rani Express Shatabdi Express Sampark Kranti Express Superfast/Mail Vivek Express Yuva Express Special trains Lifeline Express Red Ribbon Express Sanskriti Express Science Express Tourist trains Deccan Odyssey Fairy Queen Maharaja Express Palace on Wheels Royal Orient Train Royal Rajasthan on Wheels The Golden Chariot Related articles Last vehicle board Railway Budget Railway Schools Future of the Indian Railways Employees All India Station Masters' Association (AISMA) All India Railway Employees' Confederation (AIREC) Templates Category Portal WikiProject