Which is the longest and fastest train in India?

 Train Nos. 22436/22435 and 22416/22415 New Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat Express are among India’s longest and fastest daytime train service, covering approximately 758 km in around 8 hours.

The services operate as same-day return journeys, departing from New Delhi/Varanasi and returning to the same origin station on the same day.

India's first Vande Bharat Express 22436/22435 (originally called Train 18) was flagged off on February 15, 2019 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

It departs from New Delhi at 06:00 am and reaches Varanasi on 2:00 pm. And it's opposite pair was launched on December 18, 2023 due to high demand.

Currently, Train Nos. 12431/12432 Thiruvananthapuram Central- Hazrat Nizamuddin (Delhi) Rajdhani Express is one of India’s longest-distance premium train and fastest overnight services, covering the South–North corridor via Konkan railway in around 41 hours 30 minutes, particularly during the non-monsoon timetable.

It departs at 07:15 pm from Trivandrum and reach Nizamuddin at 12:45 pm. Triweekly service operates on Tue, Thu and Fri

Which is the costliest train in India?

 (12431/12432) Thiruvanthapuram Central-Hazrat Nizamuddin (Delhi) Rajdhani Express is the costliest Regular Passenger service in Indian Railways.

In Rajdhani Express, 1st AC fare cost is approx Rs 8770 from End to End journey, despite longest Rajdhani service covering the distance 2848 km, it is the fastest and high priority train, takes 41 hours 30 min in non-monsoon time table.

It is operated by Northern Railway Zone in Indian Railways.

This fare is equivalent with Flight Fare From Kerala to Delhi, so one can reach by flight during emergency time, but the scenary, Monsoon journey, food options and getting priority in Indian Railways, no doubt Rajdhani Express offers alternative option.

3rd AC fare might be cheaper option if you feel that 1st AC fare is expensive.

Now coming to the most expensive luxury train in India, then probably Maharaja Express, operated by IRCTC.

Fares range from roughly Rs 5.16 lakh ($4,890) for short 3-night trips up to Rs 26.13 lakh ($26,800) per person for the exclusive Presidential Suite on week-long royal journeys.

The primary route of Maharaja Express is Delhi - Jaipur-Ranthambore and Fatehpur Sikri – Agra- Orchha and Khajuraho-Varanasi-Delhi

Mumbai-Udaipur-Jodhpur- Bikaner-Jaipur- Ranthambore and Fatehpur Sikri- Agra and Delhi

What is the fastest train in Karnataka?

 In terms of Fastest train within Karnataka which takes less time and their Average speed is High

1. 20661/Ksr Bengaluru-Dharwad Vande Bharat Express

Takes 6 hours 15 min with 5 halt within 492 km, average speed is 78km/h

Dharwad Vande Bharat Express is the currently fastest train Within Karnataka.

2. 26751/Belagavi-KSR Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express

It takes 8 hours with an average speed 75 km/h and distance 612 km, 6 halts.

3. 22231/Kalaburagi-Smvt Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express

Duration:- 8 hours with a distance of 560 km and it's average speed is 70 km/h, only 7 halts.

4. 12079/Ksr Bengaluru Hubli Jan Shatabdi Express

Takes 6hour 50min With an average speed of 69 km, distance of 469 km, 10 halt

5. 20654/Belagavi- Ksr Bengaluru Superfast Express

Takes 9 hr 30 min with distance of 613 km, 6 halt with an Average speed of 64 km/hr

⭐Some of fastest and long distance operating train to Other States from Karnataka

12214/ Yesvantpur-Delhi Sarai Rohilla AC Duronto Express

Takes 32 hours 10 min, 2363 km, 6 halt inbetween Yesvantpur and Delhi, This train is known for nickname Toofan Duronto, due to non stop skip 400–500 km, interesting fact is It skips New Delhi station…The only train premium.

22691/Ksr Bengaluru-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express

Takes 33 hours 30 min, 2377 km distance. India's High Revenue Premium Train and Daily Operating Train.

These trains have less stops and known for non stop journey from Bengaluru to Delhi.

5. Between Howrah and Bangalore

12245/Howrah-SMVT Bengaluru Duronto Express via Vizianagaram, Duvvada, Renigunta Jn

Takes 29 hours 05 min with 4 halts, such a non stop train.

⭐Inter State Faster Vande Bharat Express services over 500–600 km distance:

1. 20672/Madurai-Bengaluru Cantonment Vande Bharat Express via Trichy, Namakkal, Salem, Bangarapet

Takes 7 hours 45 min with a distance of 572 km and 6 halt inbetween

1. 20704/Yesvantpur-Kacheguda (Hyderabad) Vande Bharat Express via Gooty, Dhone, Kurnool

(8 hr 15 min journey, when existing trains takes 11–12 hours with a distance of 611 km, 5 halt inbetween)

This will be the first premium train day time connecting Bengaluru and Hyderabad, significantly reducing the travel time between the two cities.

2. 26651/ KSR Bengaluru-Ernakulam Jn Vande Bharat Express via Bangarapet, Salem

(8 hours 40 min, distance of 626 km, 7 halt inbetween)

Some of these trains may have different average speeds, as the figures are based on sources I found on Indiarailinfo site. However, they are generally high-priority trains and don’t necessarily have lower priority or significant speed restrictions.

Actual speeds can still vary depending on the section, track conditions, stoppages, and other operational factors.

Which is the best train route in India?

 Many well known train journeys have been mentioned here, there are some not too well known ones, that are equally picturesque.

Vizag- Araku

This is actually a part of the Vizag- Kirandul rail route, and it passes through some of the most scenic locations, including Shimliguda, which at an altitude of 996 MSL, is the highest Broad Gauge Railway station.

Nandyal-Giddalur line

Connecting Nandyal in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, with Giddalur in Prakasam district, this railway line cuts through the Nallamalla Hills, passing through some of the thickest forests.

What new train technology is there in China?

 This is the "Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit" in Yibin, China:

Similar to self-driving cars, these "tram-bus hybrids" do not run on steel rails, but on rails painted white on the asphalt.

They are controlled by LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and GPS technologies so that they move precisely along these virtual lanes. At the driver's request, they can also leave the designated lanes to find their way around traffic jams, accidents, and other obstacles.

It travels on rubber wheels at the speed of narrow-gauge railways (70 km/h) and typically carries 300 people in three carriages.

Building one kilometer of trackless rails costs half of what building a conventional streetcar would cost, namely about 30 million dollars.

The virtual railway in Yibin, which went into operation in 2019, runs for over 17 km through the city and was built for an estimated 160 million dollars.

What are the most unusual train stations in the world?

 Let me mention one from my own experience. It was one of those unexpected travel experiences that I love.

Traveling through France with my wife and two teenage sons, heading towards Spain. Crossing the Pyrenees! We were traveling by public transport and had taken the bus in Pau that would take us over the mountains to Spain. The beauty of traveling without a detailed plan is that you let yourself be surprised, because what is the point of visiting a place you already know from travel brochures? That "we'll see" mentality paid off handsomely back then.

Once over the highest mountain pass, filled with admiration for the Tour de France heroes who had conquered these barren heights standing on their pedals, we descended again to more vegetated areas. And there, a fairytale-like phenomenon unfolded before our eyes: there, in the middle of nowhere, lay a beautiful, grand palace! An enormous Baroque main building with two huge wings on either side!

We decided to get off there. The adjacent insignificant little village was called Canfranc-Estación. As it turned out, the palace was actually a huge, abandoned train station… So we set out to explore. The enormous station hall was deserted, with a few old newspapers blowing around. A row of deserted ticket counters. Large halls that had been set up for luggage inspection by customs officers… now eerily deserted, but it felt as if there was a hive of activity, with ghostly apparitions of wealthy international travelers and stern officials in uniforms and caps.

When we stepped onto the platform, an enormous railway yard stretched out before us, with switches and rusted hoists to transfer the wagons from French-gauge undercarriages to the non-standard Spanish gauge. All those rusted tracks were overgrown with weeds, bushes, and fruit-bearing strawberry plants—delicious sweet strawberries! If you tried to flip a rusty switch—some still managed it—the lizards scattered in all directions; for some, it had cost them a piece of their tail. And then those delightfully creepy, long, abandoned tunnels underneath—you really have to experience that.

It turned out that the station had once been an important link in the connection between Spain and France, a grand project from the pre-war Franco era intended to connect Madrid with Paris. However, the tunnel under the Pyrenees, the Somport Tunnel, had been damaged by a collapse and never repaired.

The station hotel was also out of service, so we had to seek refuge in a small, youth hostel-style hotel in the village. A few days later, we took the only train still stopping at the station, the local train to Jaca, departing twice a day.

This experience was so beautiful! I'm including a picture from the internet so you can get a bit of an impression.

How can I go to Nepal? Is there any direct train facility?

 Yes, you can go to Nepal from India by Train, but you cannot go till Kathmandu because Kathmandu doesn't have Railway line

You have 2 option to reach Nepal by train

The rail option:- Travel by train to a border station in India such as

1. Raxaul Junction
2. Jaynagar
3. Jogbani

All these Railway Station are in Bihar.

However more convenient option is taking a train to Raxaul Junction, which is 144 km away to Nepal’s Capital City. By Taxi or Bus you can reach there which will take 4 hours journey

2nd option is cross border train

From Jaynagar, cross border passenger train operating by Nepal Railway Jaynagar-Kurtha Demu Train

Then by road Kurtha to Kathmandu taxi or bus.

This is the only main regular international train operates from India to Nepal and vice versa, but distance is slightly more when compared to Raxaul Junction

From Jaynagar to Kathmandu Distance is 270 km

From Jogbani to Kathmandu Distance is 388 km

From South India only 3 train service available

1. 16001/Erode Jogbani Amrit Bharat Express
2. 17005/Hyderabad Deccan Nampally-Raxaul Jn Weekly Express
3. 17433/Tirupati-Raxaul Jn Weekly Express

If you are planning for Nepal Trip you can take a train from Delhi (if you are coming from Northern Part, Jammu, Punjab, Himachal, Haryana, Rajasthan

From Maharashtra Several trains available to Raxaul like

Lokmanya Tilak Raxaul Antyodaya SF Express and Raxaul Karmabhumi Express

Or another option is you can come to Patna junction or Howrah Junction, from there frequent of trains available to Raxaul

Which of the Indian trains pass through 12 Indian states?

 As of now, no train passes through 12 states, However 16317/Kanyakumari Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Himsagar Express is the train (very close to 12 states) which passes through 10 states and 2 union territory

Starting from Tamilnadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab

And 2 union territory, Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir was officially declared and established as a Union Territory on October 31, 2019

It doesn't pass through Karnataka, It passes through Rajasthan only for short stretch Dholpur.

It covers 3790 km, one of the longest distance covering train from South India, (Tamilnadu) to North India (Jammu & Kashmir),

Its a weekly train , operates on Friday.

However in past, 16687/Mangalore Central -Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Navyug Express used to be train passing through 12 states including Karnataka state. Before Jammu & Kashmir used to be state.

Only difference is it starts departs at Mangalore Central in Karnataka and goes via Kozhikode, Shoranur Jn in Northern Kerala, then proceeds the journey of same route of Himsagar Express.

Now that train is officially discontinued after COVID. Back to days it used to run as Link Express with Tirunelveli Katra Express.

Which is the longest daily train in Indian Railways?

 Longest daily train on what basis? There are 3 category train, Premium, Superfast and Express

In Superfast Category longest daily running train is 22503/Kanyakumari Dibrugarh Vivek Superfast Express

It was upgraded to a Superfast Express on March 4, 2023. which runs from Kanniyakumari in Tamil Nadu the southernmost state of India to the North-Eastern part of Assam State in Dibrugarh via Kharagpur, Rampurhat, Malda Town Guwahati,

It is the only longest route and daily service India, by covering the distance of 4,189 kilometres in 74 hours 35 minutes, this train has 57 halts, travels through Eight states in India

In terms of Express Category Train, the 15910/Lalgarh Dibrugarh Avadh Assam Express, connects Lalgarh Near Bikaner in Rajasthan to North Eastern Part Of Dibrugarh in Assam

It is the 2nd longest daily running train

It is operated by North East Frontier railway zone. It travels through 9 states Rajasthan Punjab Haryana Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal Nagaland and Assam,

It covers 3116 km distance and takes 66 hours 25 min

In Premium Sector trains, 22691/KSR Bengaluru-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express, India's profitable and longest daily running high priority premium train,

It Covers 2377 km in 33 hour 30 min by connecting Karnataka Capital City Bangalore to Delhi Union Territory. There are 15 halts.

It is operated by South Western Railway Zone

Other longer daily running train in India

1. Thiruvananthapuram Central New Delhi Kerala Express

2. MGR Chennai Central-New Delhi Tamilnadu/Grand Trunk Express

3. KSR Bengaluru-New Delhi Karnataka Express

•Via East Coast (Chennai-Howrah Line)

4. MGR Chennai Central Howrah Coromandel Express

5. SMVT Bengaluru-Howrah SF Express

•Via West Coast (Konkan Line, Goa)

6. Ernakulam Junction- Hazrat Nizamuddin Mangala Lakshadweep Express