Ajanta Express

Ajanta Express

Overview
Service type	Express
Locale	Telangana & Maharashtra
First service	1 April 1967 (1967-04-01)
Current operator(s)	South Central Railway
Route
Termini	Kacheguda (KCG) Manmad (MMR)
Stops	18
Distance travelled	624 km (388 mi)
Average journey time	12 hours 55 minute
Service frequency	Daily
Train number(s)	17063 / 17064
On-board services
Class(es)	AC First, AC 2 Tier, AC 3 Tier, Sleeper class, General Unreserved
Seating arrangements	Yes
Sleeping arrangements	Yes
Catering facilities	On-Board Catering, E-catering
Observation facilities	Rake sharing with 12785/12786 Kacheguda–Mysuru Express
Baggage facilities	Available
Other facilities	Below the seats
Technical
Rolling stock	ICF coach
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) (Broad Gauge)
Operating speed	49 km/h (30 mph) average including halts.
Ajanta Express Route map

The 17063 / 17064 Ajanta Express is an Express train belonging to the South Central Railway Zone that runs between Kacheguda in Telangana and Manmad in Maharashtra in India.

History

Ajanta Express runs through eastern Maharashtra (Marathwada region) and the north-western region of Telangana. It was known as Kacheguda Express very often by the people travelling on Kacheguda–Nizamabad–Nanded–Parbhani–Aurangabad route on former Hyderabad–Godavari Valley Railways.

The train was introduced on 1 April 1967 as a metre-gauge train between Kacheguda and Manmad via Nizamabad, Nanded, Parbhani and Aurangabad. The train became popular in a short time as Manmad on 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge was the point to take broad gauge trains to other destinations.

After the track from Manmad to Parbhani was converted to broad gauge in 1992–95 and the track from Parbhani to Mudkhed and Nizamabad was still not converted, the train was re-routed between Kacheguda and Manmad via Bidar and Parbhani in 1995–1996 because the metre gauge had been converted between Vikarabad and Parbhani by then. In 2007, the train again diverted to its old route which had been converted into broad gauge in 2002–2003.

Ajanta Express (Kacheguda–Manmad) was the fastest metre-gauge train in India with an average speed of 42.5 kilometres per hour (26.4 mph) in 1967.

Overview

The train is named after the Ajanta Caves in Aurangabad. It runs daily and connects important stations such as Nizamabad, Nanded, Parbhani, Jalna, Aurangabad and Nagarsol.

The 17063 Manmad–Kacheguda Ajanta Express has an average speed of 48 km/h and covers 624 km in 12 hours 55 minutes. The 17064 Kacheguda–Manmad Ajanta Express has an average speed of 47 km/h and covers 624 km in 13 hours and 25 minutes.

Timings

The train departs from Kacheguda at 6:40 p.m. and arrives at Manmad Junction at 8:05 a.m. the next day. It departs from Manmad Junction at 8:50 p.m. and arrives at Kacheguda at 9:45 a.m. the next day.

Route and halts

• Manmad Junction
• Nagarsol
• Aurangabad
• Jalna
• Parbhani Junction
• Purna Junction
• Hazur Sahib Nanded
• Mudkhed Junction
• Umri
• Dharmabad
• Basar
• Nizamabad Junction
• Malkajgiri
• Kacheguda

Classes

The train usually consists of 24 standard ICF coaches:

• 1 AC first cum II tier
• 2 AC II tier
• 5 AC III tiers
• 12 sleeper classes
• 2 second sittings
• 2 SLR

As it is customary with most other train services in India, coach composition may be amended at the discretion of Indian Railways, depending on demand.

Coach composition

Loco	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24
	SLR	GEN	HA1	A2	A1	B5	B4	B3	B2	B1	S12	S11	S10	S9	S8	S7	S6	S5	S4	S3	S2	S1	GEN	SLR

Rake sharing

• Previously it shared its rake with 12703/12704 Falaknuma Express (1 January 2018 to 14 December 2023).
• From 20th Dec 2023 The Train started sharing its rake with 12785/12786 Kacheguda–Mysuru Express and the Terminal is shifted back to Kacheguda With Primary Maintenance.

Traction

As the route is fully electrified, it is hauled by a Lallaguda Loco Shed based WAP-7 electric locomotive on its entire journey.

See also

• Kacheguda–Mysuru Express
• Nizamabad–Kacheguda DEMU
• Devagiri Express
• Bhopal Shatabdi
• Rajkot Secunderabad Express

External links

• Ajanta Express Time Table