Train travellers on a popular long-distance route between Odisha and Bihar are set to experience a major upgrade as the East Coast Railway transitions the 18405/18406 Puri-Patna Express to modern Linke Hofmann Busch coaches to enhance passenger safety and travel comfort. The updated train composition will officially take effect for the service departing from Puri on September 5, 2026, and from Patna on September 6, 2026.
The upgraded train will now operate with a total of
18 LHB coaches, replacing the older traditional rakes. The revised configuration includes
8 Sleeper Class coaches,
3 AC 3-Tier coaches,
4 General Unreserved coaches,
1 AC 2-Tier coach,
1 Luggage-cum-Divyang-friendly coach, and
1 Luggage-cum-Generator-cum-Brake Van. This balanced mix ensures that passengers across all classes benefit from the modernization drive.
According to an official statement issued by the East Coast Railway, the adoption of LHB technology, which is built on advanced German engineering principles, is specifically intended to provide a superior and smoother travel experience. One of the biggest advantages of these coaches is their enhanced safety mechanism, featuring
anti-climbing features designed to mitigate the severity of impacts during derailments. Furthermore, passengers will notice a significant reduction in noise and jerks thanks to
upgraded suspension systems designed to minimize vibration and track noise. Indian Railways continues this large-scale fleet modernization initiative across various zones to ensure higher operational speeds and substantially increased safety standards compared to legacy Integral Coach Factory coaches.
