Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express: From free luggage facility to travel insurance, here's what India's first private train offers

In less than a month, Indian Railways' subsidiary Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is going to flag off the country's first private train, Tejas Express, on October 4. This privatised train will run between Delhi and Lucknow. With the Tejas Express, IRCTC will be fully in charge of the train services for the first time. It has roped in private train operators to provide world-class passenger service. This fully air conditioned train will cover the journey between the two cities in 6 hours and 15 minutes.

Here's all you need to know about the Tejas Express:

1.       Tejas Express schedule

Tejas Express will depart from Lucknow at 6.10 am and will reach Delhi at 12.25 pm. In its return journey, the train will depart from the national capital at 4.30 pm and will reach Lucknow at 10.45 pm. Except Tuesday, Tejas Express will run everyday in the same schedule. Further, the train would stop at Kanpur central and Ghaziabad.

2.       Tejas Express interior

This privatised train will have 12 coaches, including executive class and air-conditioned (AC) chair car. The carrying capacity of Tejas Express is said to be 758 passengers.

3.       Tejas Express booking details

Tickets of Tejas can only be booked from IRCTC website or the mobile app. No offline booking service will be available for Tejas express. No concessions, privileges or duty passes will be allowed on this train. Also, children above the age of 5 will be charged full fare. There will be no facility of tatkal quota in this train. Five seats each will be reserved for foreign tourists in Executive Class and AC Chair car. Also, unlike the 120 day advance booking allowed across the railway network, IRCTC's train will allow such booking 60 days prior to day of journey.

4.       Tejas Express ticket details

The fares of Tejas Express will be kept dynamic. Fares will be decided based on peak or lean season, festival season and according to demand.

5.       Tejas Express pantry

Free tea and coffee will be provided to passengers via vending machines. The train will also offer free RO water for travelers on demand. Just like in flights, meals will be served by on board service staff by trolleys.

6.       Tejas Express brings travel insurance feature

Passengers of IRCTC's Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express to get free Rs 25 lakh rail travel insurance. The passengers of this train will also be given the facility of using retiring rooms at Lucknow junction station and executive lounge at New Delhi Railway station and lounge on demand.

7.       Tejas Express  to provide luggage service

Another unique facility which will only be available for passengers on board IRCTC'S Tejas trains is service of pick up and drop of passenger luggage. This service is followed in Shinkansen trains of Japan, in which passengers travel without any on board luggage which are picked up by service providers and left at the destination of their choice, enabling the travelers to travel hassle free.

Also read: Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express' passengers to get free travel insurance, exclusive lounges

Also read: IRCTC's Tejas Express fares to be 50% less than flights on same routes; no concession, quota for VIPs