Taj Express
Taj Express standing on Agra Cantt Railway station | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Locale | Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan & Madhya Pradesh |
| First service | 1 October 1964 between New Delhi & Agra |
| Route | |
| Termini | New Delhi Jhansi Junction |
| Stops | 10 |
| Distance travelled | 410 km (250 mi) |
| Average journey time | 7 hours |
| Service frequency | Daily |
| Train number(s) | 12279 / 12280 |
| On-board services | |
| Class(es) | Executive Class Premium Class |
| Seating arrangements | 2S & CC |
| Sleeping arrangements | No |
| Catering facilities | No |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) |
| Operating speed | 59 km/h (37 mph) average with halts |
The Taj Express was started in 1964 to serve tourists travelling from Delhi to Agra. It reduced the travelling time from over three hours to around two and a half hours. Taj Express was started along the lines of Deccan Queen, which ran as a high-speed commuter-special train between Pune Junction and CSMT Mumbai (ex Victoria Terminus Bombay), and provided a quick and comfortable journey between Agra and Delhi. It was a very popular train, especially among foreign tourists, before the Bhopal Shatabdi was introduced in 1988. The train was extended up to Gwalior in 1985 and then to Jhansi in 2006. It was named after Taj Mahal.