East Coast Railway adds coaches in express trains to tackle rush of passengers

Bhubaneswar: To handle the increased rush of passengers during the peak travel period, East Coast Railway has decided to temporarily add extra coaches to several express trains operating on key routes.

Additional coaches in Rajdhani Express

As part of the move, the Bhubaneswar–New Delhi Tejas Rajdhani Express (Train No. 22823) will get one additional AC 2-Tier coach on January 23, 2026. Similarly, the New Delhi–Bhubaneswar Tejas Rajdhani Express (Train No. 22824) will run with one extra AC 2-Tier coach on January 24, 2026. This step is aimed at improving availability and travel comfort for long-distance passengers.

Hirakhand Express to get sleeper coach

The Bhubaneswar–Jagdalpur Hirakhand Express (Train No. 18447) will be augmented with one additional Sleeper Class coach from January 24 to January 31, 2026. In the return direction, the Jagdalpur–Bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express (Train No. 18448) will have an extra Sleeper Class coach from January 25 to February 1, 2026.

Extra chair car in Shatabdi services

The Puri–Howrah Shatabdi Express (Train No. 12278) and the Howrah–Puri Shatabdi Express (Train No. 12277) will also see an increase in capacity. One additional AC Chair Car coach will be attached to both trains from January 22 to January 27, 2026.

Focus on passenger convenience

East Coast Railway said the temporary augmentation of coaches is part of its ongoing effort to ensure smoother travel and better comfort for passengers during periods of high demand. Travellers have been advised to plan their journeys accordingly and make use of the enhanced facilities available on these trains.