It was a rainy morning on 18 June 2026. The time was 4:30 a.m. My Saraighat Express started slowing down. Few minutes later the train left the main tracks and started entering the loop line at Gosaingaon station in Assam under NFR zone of Indian Railways.
But wait what? Saraighat getting looped for overtake? Ask any regular traveller of this route and they will tell you Saraighat is equivalent to Rajdhani in this route.
Saraighat's story began in 1995. It was a time when India had very less number of premium trains. The only two types of premium trains were Rajdhanis & Shatabdis. Shatabdis were meant for short distance premium service & Rajdhanis were meant for long distance premium service. But one problem with the Rajdhani was it connected only state capitals with National capital. That means there can be a premium Rajdhani between New Delhi - Howrah & New Delhi - Mumbai but not between Howrah & Mumbai. Later when Duronto Express was introduced by Mamata Banerjee, this problem was solved. But before the Duronto solution, Railways introduced few superfast trains that were given Rajdhani like priority in their respective routes. Like Coromandel Express Howrah & Chennai, Jnaneswari Express between Howrah & Mumbai, Saraighat Express between Howrah & Guwahati.
Saraighat has always been the fastest connectivtiy between Kolkata & Northeast India. It is even faster than the Garib Rath Express between Kolkata & Guwahati. Other superfast trains are not even a match. But recently the Railways launched the Howrah - Kamakhya Jn Vande Bharat Sleeper Express and it dethroned the Saraighat to become the No1 premium train of this route.
Yesterday on 17 June 2026 i boarded the 12345 UP Saraighat Express from Howrah. It left Howrah at 4:05 p.m. The Vande Bharat left two hours later at 6:20 p.m. By 18th morning when we reached New Alipurduar, the Vande Bharat caught us from behind. And eventually we were made to loop at Gosaingaon Hat station to let the Vande Bharat pass ahead of us.
Enjoy the early morning overtake.
#Vandebharat #Vandebharatsleeper #HowrahKamakhya