Kolkata–Guwahati Garib Rath Express

The 12517 / 12518 Kolkata - Guwahati Garib Rath Express is a Garib Rath class train of Indian Railways, which connects the state capital of West Bengal, Kolkata to the state capital of Assam, Guwahati. The train is operated by the North East Frontier Railway Zone (NFR) of the Indian Railways.

Kolkata – Guwahati Garib Rath Express
Overview
Service type	Garib Rath Express
Status	In service
Locale	Assam, Bihar and West Bengal
First service	29 March 2008; 17 years ago (2008-03-29)
Current operator(s)	Northeast Frontier Railway
Route
Termini	Kolkata (KOAA) Guwahati (GHY)
Stops	13
Distance travelled	1003 km
Service frequency	Weekly [a]
Train number(s)	12517/12518
On-board services
Class(es)	AC 3 Tier Economy (3E)
Seating arrangements	Available
Sleeping arrangements	Available
Catering facilities	Available
Observation facilities	Large windows
Baggage facilities	Below the seats
Technical
Rolling stock	Linke-Hofmann-Busch (LHB) coach
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed	110 km/h (68 mph)

A brief history

This train service was inagurated on March 29, 2008. During the COVID-19 pandemic, all the train services throughout India was cancelled, including this one. However, after the resumption of the train services post pandemic, this train was not resumed. Instead, it was being run as an air-conditioned special train with Linke-Hoffman Busch coaches. ^[1] This service was scrapped and re-introduced again and again due to its poor patronage. Finally, on June 21, 2024, the North East Frontier Railway Zone informed the public that the Kolkata - Guwahati Garib Rath Express would be restored from July onwards, practically regularising the special train. The first service commenced on July 6, 2024. ^[2]

Service

• The 12517 Kolkata - Guwahati Garib Rath Express leaves Kolkata at 21:45 hrs every Thursday and reaches Guwahati the next day at 15:55 hrs. It covers the journey in 18 hours 10 minutes averaging at 55 km/h (34 mph).
• The 12518 Guwahati – Kolkata Garib Rath Express leaves Guwahati at 21:00 hrs every Saturday and reaches Kolkata the next day at 14:30 hrs. It covers the journey in 17 hours 30 minutes averaging at 57 km/h (35 mph).

Coach composition

This train runs with 22 Linke-Hoffman Busch Third AC economy (3E) coaches. ^[b]It has a single rake, which it shares with the Kolkata - Agartala Garib Rath Express. The primary maintenance is executed at Agartala and the secondary maintenance at Guwahati.

Legends

EOG/SLR	PC	MIL	H	A	HA	B	AB	G	K	E	C	S	D	GEN/UR
Generator cum luggage van	Pantry car or Hot buffet car	Military coach	First AC (1A)	Second AC (2A)	First AC cum Second AC	Third AC (3A)	Third AC cum Second AC	Third AC economy (3E)	Anubhuti coach (K)	Executive chair car (EC)	AC Chair car (CC)	Sleeper class (SL)	Second seating (2S)	General or Unreserved
	Loco and other service coach
	AC coach
	Non-AC coach

Coach Position of 12517 (ex. Kolkata)

Loco	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22
	EOG	G20	G19	G18	G17	G16	G15	G14	G13	G12	G11	G10	G9	G8	G7	G6	G5	G4	G3	G2	G1	EOG

Coach Position of 12518 (ex. Guwahati)

Loco	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22
	EOG	G1	G2	G3	G4	G5	G6	G7	G8	G9	G10	G11	G12	G13	G14	G15	G16	G17	G18	G19	G20	EOG

Passengers are advised to check the coach position indicators at the station before boarding.

Traction

The train is hauled by a Howrah based WAP-4 or a Sealdah based WAP-7 electic locomotive till New Cooch Behar station. From there, it is hauled by a Siliguri based WDP-4 or a WDP-4D diesel locomotive to its destination.

Route and halts

The stoppages are:-

• Kolkata
• Bandel Junction
• Nabadwip Dham
• Katwa Junction
• Azimganj Junction
• Jangipur Road
• Malda Town
• Kishanganj
• New Jalpaiguri Junction
• New Cooch Behar
• New Alipurduar
• Kokrajhar
• New Bongaigaon Junction
• Goalpara Town
• Guwahati

Other trains on the Kolkata–New Jalpaiguri sector

• 22301/02 Howrah–New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express
• 12041/42 New Jalpaiguri–Howrah Shatabdi Express
• 12377/78 Padatik Express
• 12343/44 Darjeeling Mail
• 15959/60 Kamrup Express (via Guwahati)
• 15961/62 Kamrup Express (via Bogibeel)
• 13173/74 Sealdah–Agartala Kanchanjunga Express
• 13175/76 Sealdah–Silchar Kanchanjunga Express
• 12345/46 Saraighat Express
• 15721/22 New Jalpaiguri-Digha Express
• 13141/42 Teesta Torsha Express
• 13147/48 Uttar Banga Express
• 13181/82 Kolkata–Silghat Town Kaziranga Express
• 22511/12 Lokmanya Tilak Terminus–Kamakhya Karmabhoomi Express
• 15643/44 Puri–Kamakhya Weekly Express (via Howrah)
• 12363/64 Kolkata–Haldibari Intercity Express
• 13115/16 Sealdah - Jalpaiguri Road Humsafar Express

See also

• Garib Rath Express
• Kolkata - Agartala Garib Rath Express

Notes

1. Runs once in a week for every direction.
2. Usually the "M" notation is used to represent this class, but in Garib Rath trains, it is represneted by the "G" notation