Patna–Howrah Vande Bharat Express

The 22348/22347 Patna–Howrah Vande Bharat Express is India's 30th Vande Bharat Express train, connecting the city of Patna in Bihar with Howrah in West Bengal.^[2][3] This train was inaugurated on 24 September 2023 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi via video conference from New Delhi.^[4]

Patna Junction - Howrah Junction Vande Bharat Express
Overview
Service type	Vande Bharat Express
Locale	Bihar and West Bengal
First service	24 September 2023 (2023-09-24) (Inaugural run) 26 September 2023; 22 months ago (26 September 2023) (Commercial Run)[1]
Current operator(s)	East Central Railways (ECR)
Route
Termini	Patna Junction (PNBE) Howrah Junction (HWH)
Stops	8
Distance travelled	532 km (331 mi)
Average journey time	06 hrs 35 mins
Service frequency	Six days a week[a]
Train number(s)	22348 / 22347
Line(s) used	Asansol–Patna section Bardhaman–Asansol section Howrah–Bardhaman chord
On-board services
Class(es)	AC Chair Car, AC Executive Chair Car
Seating arrangements	Airline style Rotatable seats
Sleeping arrangements	No
Catering facilities	On board Catering
Observation facilities	Large windows in all coaches
Entertainment facilities	On-board WiFi Infotainment System Electric outlets Reading light Seat Pockets Bottle Holder Tray Table
Baggage facilities	Overhead racks
Other facilities	Kavach
Technical
Rolling stock	Mini Vande Bharat 2.0 (Last service: Feb 11 2025) Vande Bharat 2.0 (First service: Feb 13 2025)
Track gauge	Indian gauge 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge
Electrification	25 kV 50 Hz AC Overhead line
Operating speed	81 km/h (50 mph) (Avg.)
Average length	480 metres (1,570 ft) (20 coaches)
Track owner(s)	Indian Railways
Rake maintenance	Rajendra Nagar Coaching Complex (RNCC)
Route map Legend 22348 ↓ Patna Junction Patna Sahib Bakhtiyarpur Junction Mokama Junction Lakhisarai Junction Bihar Jharkhand border Jasidih Junction Jamtara Jharkhand West Bengal border Asansol Junction Durgapur 22347 ↑ Howrah Junction

Overview

This train is operated by Indian Railways, connecting Patna Jn, Patna Sahib, Bakhtiyarpur Jn, Mokama Jn, Lakhisarai Jn, Jasidih Jn, Jamtara, Asansol Jn, Durgapur and Howrah Jn. It is currently operated with train numbers 22348/22347 on 6 days a week basis.^[5][6][7]

Rakes

It was the twenty-eighth 2nd Generation and sixteenth Mini Vande Bharat 2.0 Express train which was designed and manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory at Perambur, Chennai under the Make in India Initiative. It was later swapped with the orange liveried rakes of Patna–Gomti Nagar (Lucknow) Vande Bharat Express.^[8]

This conversion of 8 coaches to 16 coaches commenced on February 13, 2025, as this would benefit the passengers heading towards the metropolitan area of Kolkata, Howrah via the forest land of Jharkhand. On July 11th 2025 it was given the new 3rd generation Vande Bharat trainset having 20 coaches.

Service

The 22348/22347 Patna - Howrah Vande Bharat Express operates 6 days a week, covering a distance of 532 km (331 mi) in a travel time of 6 hrs 35 mins with an average speed of 81 km/h (50 mph). The Maximum Permissible Speed is 130 km/h (81 mph).

See also

• Vande Bharat Express
• Tejas Express
• Gatimaan Express
• Patna Junction railway station
• Howrah railway station

Notes

1. Except Wednesdays