Indian Railways has officially converted the Dhanbad-Bhubaneswar Special train into a regular Express service following approval from the Railway Board. The regular service for train number 18403 started from Bhubaneswar on April 1, 2026, while train number 18404 commences its journey from Dhanbad on April 2, 2026. This move is expected to improve regional connectivity and benefit thousands of passengers traveling daily between Jharkhand and Odisha.
What are the new timings and station halts?
The regularized train will operate daily with updated train numbers 18403 and 18404. Train 18404 departs from Dhanbad at 4:00 PM and reaches Bhubaneswar the next morning at 8:15 AM. On its return journey, train 18403 leaves Bhubaneswar at 8:25 PM and arrives in Dhanbad at 11:00 AM the following day. The train will continue to stop at important stations such as Cuttack, Angul, Sambalpur City, Jharsuguda, Rourkela, Hatia, Ranchi, Muri, and Bokaro Steel City.
How much will the ticket prices decrease?
With the removal of the special status, the railway has implemented a fare cut of up to 25 percent. This change makes the service much more economical for long-distance travelers. The specific reductions across different coach classes are as follows:
| Coach Class | Fare Reduction Amount |
|---|---|
| Sleeper Class | 120 Rupees |
| 3AC Coach | 330 Rupees |
| 2AC Coach | 420 Rupees |
The train currently uses an 18-coach ICF rake, which includes four general coaches, eight sleeper coaches, three 3AC coaches, and one 2AC coach. Railway authorities have indicated that these will be replaced with modern LHB rakes in the future to further enhance passenger comfort and safety during the journey.