HISTORY OF PATNA RAJDHANI EXPRESS

This Train was introduced in the Annual Railway Budget of 1996-97 as a daily Rajdhani Express from New Delhi to Patna via Lucknow. Later its route was changed to run via Allahabad. In 1997, the Pantry Car service was introduced. It runs daily. It operates as train number 12309 from Rajendra Nagar (Patna) to New Delhi Railway Station and as train number 12310 in the reverse direction. It covers a distance of 1001 kilometres in each direction however it takes 12 hours 15 minutes when operating as train number 12309 at an average speed of 81 km/h (excluding halts) while its return journey takes 12 h 25 min at an average speed of 80 km/h (excluding halts) as train number 12310. It has 4 halts in either direction at Patna Junction, Mughalsarai Junction, Allahabad Junction, and Kanpur Central. With 22 Coaches, the train is the longest Rajdhani Express service in the country.Also this train has 7 AC 2 coaches which is maximum in Indian railways. The train is regularly hauled by a WAP 7 locomotive of Ghaziabad shed from September 2013.This is the only rajdhani express which gets ISO certification.