New train 18501 Visakhapatnam-Gandhidham weekly express to be launched next week

Visakhapatnam, 21 December 2013

The East Coast Railways (ECoR) on Saturday announced launching of two regular trains connecting Vizag to Gujarat and Rajasthan. As announced in the Railway Budget 2013-14, the ECoR has decided to introduce two pairs of weekly express trains — Visakhapatnam-Gandhidham (18501/18502) and Visakhapatnam-Bhagat ki Kothi (18573/18574) on December 24 at the Visakhapatnam railway station.

ECoR had earlier this month announced that these two trains were being launched as specials to clear the passenger rush but on Saturday stated that they had decided to regularize them. Visakhapatnam MP and Union minister of state for commerce and industries, D Purandeswari, is likely to flag off the two trains at the city railway station on the day.

According to a release issued on Saturday, train number 18501 Visakhapatnam-Gandhidham will leave Visakhapatnam every Thursday at 5.35 pm with effect from January 2, 2014, and reach Gandhidham on Saturdays at 9.50 am. In the return direction, train 18502 Gandhidham-Visakhapatnam will leave Gandhidham on Saturdays at 10.45 pm with effect from January 5 and arrive at Visakhapatnam on Tuesdays at 2.25 pm.

However, the inaugural train will be run as a special train with number 08503 Visakhapatnam-Gandhidham on December 24 at 8 am from Vizag.

Similarly, train number 18573 will leave Visakhapatnam every Thursday at 5.35 am with effect from January 2, 2014, and reach Jodhpur on Fridays at 10.45 pm. In the return direction, train number 18574 will leave Bhagat Ki Kothi on Saturdays at 2.15 pm with effect from January 4, 2014, and arrive at Visakhapatnam on Mondays at 8.20 am.

However, the inaugural train will be run as a special train with number 08575 Visakhapatnam-Bhagat Ki Kothi on December 24 at 7.45 am from Visakhapatnam.