Falaknuma Express

Falaknuma Express

Overview
Service type	Superfast
Locale	Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha & West Bengal
First service	15 October 1993 (1993-10-15)
Current operator(s)	South Central Railways
Route
Termini	Secunderabad (SC) Howrah (HWH)
Stops	24
Distance travelled	1,544 km (959 mi)
Average journey time	25 hours 45 minutes
Service frequency	Daily
Train number(s)	12703 / 12704
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	Available
Observation facilities	Rake sharing with 17063/17064 Ajanta Express
Baggage facilities	Below the seats
Technical
Rolling stock	ICF Coaches
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) Broad Gauge
Operating speed	110 km/h (68 mph) maximum, 60 km/h (37 mph) average with halts
Route map

The 12703 / 12704 Falaknuma Express is a Superfast Express train belonging to South Central Railway zone that runs between Secunderabad and Howrah in India. It is currently being operated with 12703/12704 train numbers on daily basis.

Overview

The train is named after the world-famous Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad, India. Falaknuma is a Persian word (Persian—فلک ا نمایش), which means "Reflections of Sky/Heaven".

It runs daily and connects important stations such as Guntur, Vijayawada, Eluru, Rajahmundry, Vishakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Bhubaneswar and Kharagpur. It is a fast alternative to other trains such as East Coast Express, Guwahati - Secunderabad Express, Shalimar - Secunderabad AC Superfast Express and Shalimar–Secunderabad Superfast Express. Compared to the other trains from Secunderabad to Kolkata, it covers lesser distance as it runs via the Nalgonda, Guntur route. It is the fastest superfast express between Secunderabad and Visakhapatnam other than Visakhapatnam–Secunderabad Duronto Express & Visakhapatnam–Secunderabad Garib Rath Express. The train runs jampacked throughout the year because people prefer this train as it has lesser halts than other trains on this route. Besides being superfast, the train is most neat and clean after trains like Shatabdi Express, Rajdhani Express and Duronto Express and other superfast trains in India.

The 12703/Howrah-Secunderabad Falaknuma Express has an average speed of 60 km/h and covers 1544 km in 25h 40m. The 12704/Secunderabad-Howrah Falaknuma Express, with the same average speed, covers the same distance in 25h 50m.

Timings

The train departs from Platform #21 of Howrah Junction at 07:25 IST and arrives in Platform #2,6 of Secunderabad Junction at 09:05 IST, the next day. From Platform #1 of Secunderabad, the train departs at 15:55 IST and arrives in Platform #20 of Howrah at 17:45 IST, the next day.

Route & Halts

The train runs from Secunderabad via Nalgonda, Guntur, Vijayawada Junction, Eluru, Tadepalligudem, Rajahmundry, Samalkot, Visakhapatnam Junction, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam Road, Palasa, Brahmapur, Khurda Road Junction, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack Junction, Bhadrak, Balasore, Kharagpur Junction to Howrah.

Classes

The train usually consists of a massive load of 24 standard ICF Coaches:

• 1 AC First Cum Two Tier
• 1 AC Two Tier
• 3 AC Three Tiers
• 13 Sleeper Classes
• 1 Pantry Car
• 3 General (Unreserved)
• 2 Seating (Disabled/Ladies) Cum Luggage Rakes

As 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	S1	S2	S3	S4	S5	S6	S7	S8	S9	S10	S11	S12	PC	S13	B1	B2	B3	A1	HA1	GEN	GEN	SLR

Gallery

• 
  12703/12704 Falaknuma Express Name Boards
• 
  12703/12704 Falaknuma Express name plate on SLRD
• 
  Falaknuma Express at Nalgonda with Kazipet Junction-based twin WDG-3A loco

Loco Link

1. A Lallaguda based WAP 7 or Vijayawada based WAP 4 electric locomotive pulls it from Secunderabad to Visakhapatnam.

2. The train reverses direction at Vishakhapatnam and gets a Santragachi or Howrah based WAP 7 electric locomotive for the rest way up to Howrah.

Rake sharing

The 12703/12704 Falaknuma Express previously used to share its rakes with 12733/12734 Narayanadri Express (Secunderabad-Tirupati), but now, it shares its rakes 17063/17064 Ajanta Express (Secunderabad-Manmad).

External links

• Falaknuma Train status