Indian Railways has officially announced the regularization of the Hyderabad-Shri Ganganagar special train service. Previously running as a special train, it will now operate as a regular express service with the new numbers 17601 and 17602. This decision comes as a major relief for passengers who frequently travel between South India and Rajasthan, as regular status often means more stable scheduling and the removal of special fare surcharges.
New schedule and operational details for passengers
The train will follow a specific weekly schedule to ensure smooth connectivity across the regions. Train number 17601 will depart from Kachiguda every Saturday at 10:00 PM and is scheduled to reach Shri Ganganagar at 9:20 PM on Monday. For the return journey, train number 17602 will leave Shri Ganganagar every Tuesday at 6:45 AM and arrive at Kachiguda by 7:15 AM on Thursday. The train will consist of 22 coaches, including various classes to accommodate different passenger needs.
Major stations and route coverage
This regular service will provide essential connectivity to several important cities and railway zones. The train is set to pass through the West Central Railway zone via Kota and is managed by the South Central Railway zone. Major stations on this route include Nizamabad, Nanded, Akola, Itarsi, Bhopal, Ujjain, Sawai Madhopur, Jaipur, Sikar, Churu, Bikaner, and Suratgarh. This wide coverage ensures that passengers from multiple states can access this direct long-distance service comfortably.