The Kolkata Suburban Railway is the rail system for the suburbs surrounding the city of Kolkata (Calcutta). Railways such as this are important and heavily-used infrastructure in India. The Indian Railways (IR) has several divisions of which the Eastern Railway and the South Eastern Railway are headquartered in Kolkata. There are two major railway stations in Kolkata- Howrah and Sealdah. Another major terminal has been built at Chitpur.This new terminal has been named 'Kolkata'. Recently another terminal at Shalimar near Howrah started operating. Some intercity express trains start from there too. Kolkata and its neighbouring districts have an extensive (but crowded) suburban railway system. Most of the trains are EMUs (Electric Multiple Units). The extensive rail network stretches into the districts of North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Howrah, Hooghly, Bardhaman, Purba Medinipur and Paschim Medinipur The Suburban railway system can be categorized as follows:

Zones and corridors

The suburban railway services in Kolkata are operated by Eastern Railway (ER) and South Eastern Railway (SER). The Kolkata Metro Railway operates the underground Metro services in the city as well. There is a separate Circular Railway corridor in the city also operated by ER.

From Howrah Station

South Eastern Railways

Operated by the South Eastern Railway, this section of the line serves the south western suburbs of Greater Kolkata. The destination stations lie :

In the south western part of Howrah district like Santragachi, Andul, Amta
In the East Midnapore district like Digha, Tamluk, Haldia.
In the eastern and southern part of West Midnapore district like Panskura, Kharagpur and Midnapore.

File:Old and New EMU at Howrah Station Photo Shubhabrata Chattopadgyay .jpg

Old and New EMU - Shubhabhrata Chattopadhyay - www.irfca.org

Eastern Railways

Operated by the Howrah division of Eastern Railways, this line runs on the western bank of river Hooghly and serves the following areas:

The northern part of Howrah district - Liluah, Belur, Bally.
The eastern part of Hooghly district such as Uttarpara, Hindmotor, Konnagar, Rishra Serampore, Seoraphuli, Baidyabati, Bhadreswar, Mankundu, Chandannagar, Chuchura, Hooghly, Bandel.
The central part of Hooghly district such as Tarakeswar.
The central part of Bardhaman district connecting the town of Bardhaman. From Bardhaman, another suburban service connects the cities of Durgapur and Asansol further to the west.
The eastern part of Bardhaman district such as Katwa.

Howrah to Bardhaman is reached by two corridors popularly known as the Main Line and the Chord Line. The main Line runs through the towns of Serampore, Chandernagore, Chinsurah and Bandel. The Chord Line runs through the towns of Dankuni, Baruipara, Kamarkundu and Massagram.

Howrah South Eastern Section

Howrah, Tikiapara, Dasnagar, Ramrajatala, Santragachi

At Santragachi, the line splits up into three sections :

Shalimar Section
Amta Section
Panskura Section

Shalimar Section

Santragachi, Padmapukur, Shalimar.
From Shalimar, there are also DMU services to Digha.

Amta Section

Santragachi, Bankranayabaz, Baltikuri, Kona, Dansi, Jhalurberi, Makardaha, Domjur Road, Domjur, Dakshinbari, Bargachia, Pantihal, Munsirhat, Mahendralalnagar, Maju, Jalalsi, Harishdadpur, Amta

Panskura Section

Santragachi, Mourigram, Andul, Sankrail, Abada, Nalpur, Bauria Rail Station, Chengail, Phuleswar, Uluberia, Birshibpur, Kulgachia, Bagnan, Ghoraghata, Deulti, Kolaghat, Mecheda, Nandai Gajan, Bhogpur, Narain Pakuria Murail, Panskura

At Panskura, the line further divides into:

Midnapore Section
Haldia Section

However, at Liluah, the Belur Math branch line cuts off to serve the Belur Math station.

At Bally, the line splits into two sections:

Barddhaman Chord Line Section (via Dankuni)
Seoraphuli Section

Barddhaman Chord Line Section

Bally, Belanagar, Dankuni, Gobra, Janai Road, Begampur, Baruipara, Mirzapur Bankipur, Balarambati, Kamarkundu, Madhusudanpur, Chandanpur, Porabazar, Belmuri, Dhaniakhali, Sibaichandi, Hazigarh, Gurap, Jhapandanga, Jaugram, Nabagram, Masagram, Chanchai, Palla Road, Saktigarh, Gangpur, Bardhaman

Seoraphuli Section

Bally, Uttarpara, Hind Motor, Konnagar, Rishra, Serampore, Seoraphuli

At Seoraphuli, the line branches into:

Tarakeshwar Section
Bandel Section

Tarakeshwar Section

Seoraphuli, Diara, Nasibpur, Singur, Kamarkundu, Nalikul, Maliya, Haripal, Kaikala, Bahirkhanda, Loknath, Tarakeshwar

Bandel Section

Seoraphuli, Baidyabati, Bhadreswar, Mankundu, Chandannagar, Chunchura, Hooghly, Bandel

At Bandel, the line splits into:

Barddhaman Main Line Section
Katwa Section

Bardhaman Main Line Section

Bandel, Adi Saptagram, Magra, Talandu, Khanyan, Pundooah, Simlagarh, Bainchigram, Bainchi, Debipur, Bagila, Memari, Nimo, Rasulpur, Palsit, Saktigarh, Gangpur, Bardhaman

Katwa Section

Bandel, Bansberia, Tribeni, Kuntighat, Dumurdaha, Khamargachi, Jirat, Balagarh, Somra Bazar, Behula, Guptipara, Ambika Kalna, Baghnapara, Dhatrigram, Samundragarh, Nabadwip Dham, Bishnupriya, Bhandartikuri, Purbasthali, Mertala Phaleya, Lakshmipur, Belerhatsituated at the village Ukhura under Nimdah Gram Panchayat], Patuli, Agradwip, Sahebtala, Dainhat, Katwa

From Sealdah Station

Kolkata Suburban Railway
Kolkata Suburban Railway
	File:Kolkata subarban railway.jpg
Overview
Locale	Kolkata, India
Number of lines	Circular, Eastern and South Eastern
Number of stations	Howrah Sealdah and Kolkata
Operation
Began operation	1854
Operator(s)	Eastern Railway (India) and South Eastern Railway (India)
Technical
Track gauge	1676 mm (5 ft 6 in) (broad gauge)

Main Section

This line serves the northern suburbs on the eastern bank of Hooghly River and further east towards the very end of the international border between India and Bangladesh. The destinations facilitated by this line are:

In North 24 Parganas district along the banks of the Hooghly like Dum Dum, Barrackpore, Naihati.
In North 24 Parganas district towards the north east and towards the Bangladesh border like Bongaon, Basirhat, Hasnabad.
In Nadia district like Kalyani, Ranaghat, Shantipur Krishnagar and Gede

South Section

This line operates on the southern parts of the city and serves the southern suburbs of Calcutta and the entire South 24 Parganas district. The areas served are:

The southern suburbs like like Ballygunge, Jadavpur, Garia, Budge Budge, Sonarpur.
In the South 24 Parganas district like Port Canning, Diamond Harbour, Lakshmikantapur, Namkhana.

Sealdah Main Section

Within Greater Kolkata: Sealdah, Bidhannagar Road, Dum Dum Jn..

At Dum Dum, the line branches into: 1. Barasat section 2. Dankuni section 3. Naihati section

Barasat section

Dum Dum, Dum Dum Cantonment, Durganagar, Birati, Bisharpara Kodalia, New Barrackpur, Madhyamgram, Hridaypur, Barasat Junction

However, at Dum Dum Cantonment, the Airport line cuts off to serve the following stations: Dum Dum Cantonment, Jessore road, Biman Bandar.

At Barasat, the line splits into: 1. Bongaon line 2. Hasnabad line

Bongaon line

Barasat, Bamangachi, Duttapukur, Bira, Guma, Ashoknagar Road, Habra, Sanhati, Machlandapur, Gobardanga, Thakurnagar, Chandpara, Bibhuti Bhushan, Bongaon.

Hasnabad line

Barasat, Kazipara, Karea Kadambagachhi, Bahira Kalibari, Sondalia, Beliaghata Road, Labutala, Bhasila, Harua Road, Kankra Mirzanagar, Malatipur, Ghoraras Ghona, Champapukur, Bhyabla, Basirhat, Matania Anantapur, Madhyampur, Nimdanri, Taki Road, Hasnabad.

Dankuni section

Starts from Dum Dum. , Baranagar Road, Dakshineswar, Bally Ghat, Bally Halt, Rajchandrapur, Dankuni.

Naihati section

Dum Dum, Belgharia, Agarpara, Sodepur, Khardaha, Titagarh, Barrackpore, Palta, Ichhapur,

, West Bengal|Shyamnagar]], Jagaddal, Kakinara, Naihati

At Naihati, the line splits into: 1. Bandel section 2. main section

Bandel section

Naihati, Garifa, Hooghly Ghat, Bandel

Main section

Naihati, Halisahar, Kanchrapara, Kalyani

At Kalyani, the Kalyani Simanta line branches off forming two line:

Kalyani, Kalyani Shilpanchal, Kalyani Ghoshpara, Kalyani Simanta

Kalyani, Madanpur, Simurali, Palpara, Chakdaha, Payradanga, Ranaghat

At Ranaghat, the following two lines branch off: main line Gede line

At Kalinarayanpur, a station next to ranaghat on the main line, the Shantipur line emerges.

Shantipur line

Ranaghat, Kalinarayanpur, Habibpur, Phulia, Bathna Krittibas, Shantipur.

Krishnanagar line

Ranaghat, Kalinarayanpur, Birnagar, Taherpur, Badkulla, Jalalkhali, Krishnanagar City

Gede line

Ranaghat, Bankimnagar, Panchberia, Aranghata, Bahirgachi, Bhayna, Bagula, Mayurhaat, Taraknagar, Majhdia, Banpur, Harisnagar, Gede.

Sealdah South Section

Within Greater Kolkata: Sealdah, Park Circus, Ballygunge

At Ballygunge, the line splits up into the 1) Other South Section, and 2)Budge Budge Section

Budge Budge section

Ballygunge, Lake Gardens, Tollygunge, New Alipore, Majherhat, Brace Bridge, Santoshpur, Akra, Nungi, Budge Budge

Other South section

Sonarpur Section

Ballygunge, Dhakuria, Jadavpur, Bagha Jatin, Garia, Narendrapur, Sonarpur

The Canning branch splits from Sonarpur to Canning line and Baruipur section.

Canning line

Sonarpur, Bidyadharpur, Kalikapur, Champahati, Piali, Gourdaha, Ghutiari Shariff, Beathberia Ghola, Taldi, Canning

Baruipur section

Sonarpur, Subhasgram, Mallikpur, Baruipur

At Baruipur, the line branches into the Diamond Harbour section and the Kakdwip section.

Diamond Harbour line

Within South 24 Parganas: Baruipur, Kalyanpur, Dakshin Durgapur, Hotar, Dhamuah, Uttar Radhanagar, Magra Hat, Bahirpuya, Sangrampur, Deula, Netra, Basuldanga, Gurudas Nagar, Diamond Harbour.

Kakdwip line

Within South 24 : Baruipur, Sashan Road, Krishna Mohan, Dhapdhapi, Suryapur, Gocharan, Hogla, Dakshin Barasat, Baharu, Jaynagar Majilpur, Mathurapur Road, Madhabpur, Lakshmikantapur, Udairampur, Kulpi, Karanjali, Nischindapur Market, Nischindapur, Kashinagar, Kakdwip. This line has extended to Namkhana.

New Alipore (Kalighat) Falta Railway

This line used to connect the stations of Majherhat and New Alipore (Kalighat) with the southern port town of Falta. The line was closed down in 1957. If operational, it could have proved to be a boon for the people of the ex-South Suburban Municipal areas. See Kalighat Falta Railway for more details.

Ladies Special Suburban Trains

In 2009, the union minister for railways, Ms Mamata Baneerjee announced the introduction of Ladies Special local trains namely "matribhumi" (i.e motherland)in the Kolkata suburban section. The ladies special trains run on the following routes.

Howrah - Bandel
Howrah - Kharagpur
Sealdah - ranaghat
Sealdah - Canning
Sealdah - Bongaon
sealdah - baruipur

the other ladies special trains propsed are:

sealdah - krishnanagar
sealdah - barasat

Circular Railway

This line encircles the entire city of Kolkata. It starts from Dum Dum Junction in the north and passes through Chitpur, Burrabazar, B.B.D.Bag, Prinsep Ghat, Hastings, Kidderpore, Remount Road, Majherhat, Ballygunge, Park Circus, Sir Gurudas Banerjee Halt and finally back to Dum Dum Junction. There is also a plan to build two more stations between Park Circus and Sir Gurudas Banerjee Halt named Tangra and Beliaghata Main Road respectively.

Circular Railway stations

Dum Dum, Patipukur, Kolkata, Tala, Bagbazar, Shobhabazar–Ahiritola, Burrabazar, B B D Bagh, Eden Gardens, Princep Ghat, Kidderpore, Remount Road, Majherhat, New Alipore (Cal), Tollygunge, Lake Gardens, Ballygunge, Park Circus, Sir Gurudas Banerjee Halt, Bidhannagar Road, Dum Dum

External links

Kolkata Suburban Railway Timetable