Parabat Express (Train no. 709/710) is an intercity train operating between

Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; , ), List of renamed places in Bangladesh, formerly known as Dacca, is the capital city, capital and list of cities and towns in Bangladesh, largest city of Bangladesh. It is one of the list of largest cities, largest and list o ...

and

Sylhet Sylhet (; ) is a Metropolis, metropolitan city in the north eastern region of Bangladesh. It serves as the administrative center for both the Sylhet District and the Sylhet Division. The city is situated on the banks of the Surma River and, as o ...

, two major cities in

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

. Since the inception of intercity train service in Bangladesh in 1986, it has been regarded as one of the most prestigious and luxurious trains in the country.

History

Parabat Express made its inaugural run on 19 March 1986, designated as Train No. 709 (up) / 710 (down). It was introduced as an intercity train offering a luxurious and fast service. Since its inauguration, the train has departed from Dhaka Railway Station. Parabat Express receives priority right-of-way on the

Bangladesh Railway Bangladesh Railway () is the state-owned rail transport agency of Bangladesh. It operates and maintains all railways in the country, and is overseen by the Directorate General of Bangladesh Railway. The Bangladesh Railway is governed by the Mi ...

network. It has fewer stops than other Dhaka-Sylhet express trains, halting only at major stations.

Schedule

The train runs between Dhaka and Sylhet, passing through districts such as

Gazipur Gazipur () is a city in central Bangladesh. Located in Gazipur District in Dhaka Division, it is a major industrial city north of Dhaka. It is a hub for the textile industry in Bangladesh, with 75% of all garment industries situated there. ...

Narsingdi Narsingdi () is a city and headquarters of Narsingdi District and the Narsingdi Sadar Upazila in Dhaka Division, Bangladesh. The Dhaka–Sylhet highway connects Narsingdi with the capital and other major cities. Narsingdi is one of the most impor ...

Kishoreganj Kishoreganj is a city and the headquarters of Kishoreganj District in Dhaka Division, Bangladesh. The city is divided two sides by the Narasundha River. Demographics According to the 2011 Bangladesh census In 2011, the Bangladesh Bureau o ...

, Brahmanbaria, Habiganj, and Maulavibazar. It departs from

Kamalapur Railway Station Kamalapur Railway Station, officially Dhaka Railway Station, is the central railway station in Kamalapur, Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh. It is the largest station and the busiest infrastructure for transportation in the country that acts as a g ...

at 06:20 AM (

Bangladesh Standard Time Bangladesh Standard Time (BST; ) serves as the official time zone for Bangladesh. It operates six hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time and is observed uniformly across the country as a national standard. In 2009, Bangladesh briefly observed ...

) and arrives in Sylhet at 01:00 PM. On the return trip, it departs from Sylhet at 03:45 PM and arrives in Dhaka at 10:40 PM. The train operates every day of the week except Tuesday.

Carriages

The train currently operates with 16 PT Inka (

Industri Kereta Api PT Industri Kereta Api (Persero), abbreviated as INKA, is an Indonesian state-owned rolling stock manufacturer. History INKA Ltd was established in by the Indonesian government in May 1981 to serve as the national rail locomotive and rollin ...

) air-brake coaches, which were introduced on 2 September 2016. The train consists of eight chair cars, two AC chair cars, two non-AC chair cars, two guard brake cars with an attached dining car, one non-AC cabin, and one generator car. Before the introduction of the Inka coaches, the train used old vacuum brake coaches. However, between 1998 and 2011, the train operated with Iranian air-brake coaches. Due to maintenance issues, the Iranian air-brake coaches were replaced with vacuum brake coaches in 2011.

Locomotive

Parabat Express is typically hauled by a Class 2900 locomotive of Bangladesh Railway. However, due to occasional rolling stock shortages, it may sometimes be hauled by a Class 2600 locomotive. An air-braked locomotive is mandatory for the train's operation. BR 2934

Stoppages

* Dhaka Bimanbandor * Bhairabbazar * Brahmanbaria * Azampur * Noapara * Shaistaganj * Sreemangal * Bhanugach * Kulaura * Maizgaon

Passenger interest

People often travel on the Parabat Express for its punctual and fast service. The train has more AC carriages than any other Dhaka-Sylhet express train, attracting passengers who prefer a luxurious travel experience. Additionally, traveling by express allows passengers to enjoy the scenic views of

Division, including trackside hills, tea gardens, and rural landscapes. Parabat Express 1

Accident of Locomotive no. 2933

Locomotive No. 2933 was one of the newest locomotives in the Class 2900 series. It was involved in a fatal accident in Noyapara, Madhabpur Upazila, Habiganj District, on 7 October 2016. The locomotive caught fire shortly after it derailed with the Parabat Express near Noyapara Railway Station. The driver's cab and the electrical cabinet of the locomotive were destroyed in the fire, and the locomotive required extensive repairs.

References

External links

{{Railways in Bangladesh Named passenger trains of Bangladesh Rail transport in Dhaka Rail transport in Sylhet