Mahanagar Express to run on Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar route, ticket sales begin

The number of trains operating between Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar is set to increase, with the Mahanagar Express, currently running on the Dhaka-Chattogram route, scheduled to extend its service to Cox’s Bazar from October 26.

The extension will allow passengers from Narsingdi, Brahmanbaria, Cumilla, Feni and other districts along the route to travel directly to Cox’s Bazar by train. Tickets for the new route will go on sale today, Friday (October 16).

According to the railway schedule, the Mahanagar Express will depart Kamalapur Railway Station in Dhaka at 8:30pm daily and is scheduled to reach Chattogram at 2:40am. The train will then continue its journey, arriving in Cox’s Bazar at 6am.

On the return journey, the train will leave Cox’s Bazar at 9am and reach Chattogram at 12:10pm. It is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka at 6:30pm. The train will remain out of service every Sunday.

Tickets for the October 27 journey from Cox’s Bazar to Dhaka will go on sale on Saturday (October 17).

Mohammad Mehedi Hasan, platform master at Cox’s Bazar Iconic Railway Station, said fares on the Cox’s Bazar-Dhaka route had been set at Tk 685 to Tk 1,570. The fare from Cox’s Bazar to Chattogram would range from Tk 240 to Tk 547.

According to an official railway order, the Mahanagar Express will have 16 coaches, with its seating capacity increased from 700 to 736.

Under the extended route, the train will no longer stop at Kumira station in Sitakunda. However, it will continue to stop at Airport, Narsingdi, Bhairab Bazar, Ashuganj, Brahmanbaria, Akhaura, Kasba, Cumilla, Laksam, Nangalkot and Feni stations, as before.

Mohammad Zainal Abedin, station master at Cox’s Bazar Iconic Railway Station, said the Mahanagar Express would begin its journey to Cox’s Bazar from Dhaka on October 26. Regular passenger services from Cox’s Bazar station would commence the following day, October 27.

He said the station authorities were ready to provide services to passengers, although the station was facing a staff shortage. He expressed hope that the shortfall could be addressed gradually.