The first-ever intercity train between Dhaka and Cox's Bazar will roll on from the beach town this (Friday) afternoon, marking a momentous occasion in Bangladesh's railway history.
With this, the commercial rail operation on the Dhaka-Cox's Bazar route will begin, operating daily at 10:30 pm from Dhaka and 12:30 pm from Cox's Bazar.
According to the Bangladesh Railway (BR) schedule, the over eight-hour journey will end at 6:40 am in Cox's Bazar and 9:10 pm in Dhaka. There will be a weekly holiday on Monday in Dhaka and Tuesday in Cox's Bazar.
On Friday, Rail Secretary Dr Mohammad Humayun Kabir and Director General Mohammad Quamrul Ahsan will be present at Cox's Bazar and Dhaka stations respectively to welcome the inaugural passengers.
According to officials, the first train will have 16 coaches, with a total capacity of 1030 passengers. Following high demand, additional coaches have been added.
The Bangladesh Railway is launching the intercity trains following the Prime Minister's inauguration of the track from Cox's Bazar to Dohazari of Chattogram on November 11.
Despite the completion of the track, the BR had to delay the commercial operation due to the Kalurghat bridge -- which connects the track to Chattogram city -- not being ready.
Officials said that the Cox's Bazar Express would have two stopovers: Bimanbandar Station in Dhaka and Chattogram Station. The halt at Chattogram Station will be around 20 minutes, to allow for engine diversion.
Passengers can choose between two options: air-conditioned chair seats and non-air-conditioned shovon seats. Air-conditioned berth facilities are not yet available on these trains.
When asked about the possibility of delays, officials reiterated the BR's commitment to punctuality but acknowledged that the first run will provide valuable insights for future operations.
The BR has developed over 100 kilometres of dual-gauge single-line track from Dohazari to Cox's Bazar under a Tk 189.34 billion project, establishing nine stations, including an iconic Cox's Bazar station.
Other stations, including Satkania, Logahara, Chakaria, Dulhazara, Eidgaon, Ramu, Cox's Bazar Sadar and Ukhiya, are not yet ready for stopovers or additional train services.
Although the track was designed for speeds exceeding 100 kilometres per hour and high load capacity, the intercity train will not be able to fully utilise these features due to the aged Kalurghat bridge and the old track from Chattogram Station to Dohazari.
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