Garib Rath Express trains are one of the most popular categories introduced by Indian Railways to offer affordable AC travel for long-distance passengers. Launched in 2005, these trains provide fully air-conditioned coaches at nearly half the price of regular AC trains. Over the years, Garib Rath has become the first choice for budget-friendly AC travel across major cities in India.
What is Garib Rath Express?
Garib Rath (meaning “Chariot of the Poor”) is a series of AC-only trains offering:
- Lower fares than regular AC trains
- 3-tier and sometimes Chair Car AC coaches
- Good speed and punctuality
- Clean coaches at affordable pricing
These trains are ideal for students, families, and frequent travelers seeking AC comfort at low cost.
Complete Garib Rath Express Train List in India (2025)
Below is the updated list of all active Garib Rath Express trains with Route, Frequency & Connects:
1. 12203 / 12204 – Saharsa Jn → Amritsar Jn
Launched: 5 Oct 2006
Route: Bihar → UP → Delhi → Punjab
Frequency: Weekly
Connects: Saharsa, Patna, Lucknow, Delhi, Amritsar
2. 12611 / 12612 – Chennai Central → Hazrat Nizamuddin
Launched: 21 Feb 2007
Route: Tamil Nadu → Andhra Pradesh → Maharashtra → MP → Delhi
Frequency: Weekly
Connects: Chennai, Vijayawada, Bhopal, Agra, Delhi
3. 12909 / 12910 – Bandra Terminus → Hazrat Nizamuddin
Launched: 24 Feb 2007
Route: Maharashtra → Gujarat → Rajasthan → Delhi
Frequency: Daily
Connects: Mumbai, Vadodara, Kota, Delhi
4. 12359 / 12360 – Kolkata → Ara
Launched: 24 Jan 2008
Route: West Bengal → Jharkhand → Bihar
Frequency: Weekly
Connects: Kolkata, Dhanbad, Gaya, Ara
5. 12201 / 12202 – Lokmanya Tilak Terminus → Kochuveli
Launched: 31 Jan 2008
Route: Maharashtra → Goa → Karnataka → Kerala
Frequency: Weekly
Connects: Mumbai, Madgaon, Mangaluru, Kochuveli
6. 12735 / 12736 – Secunderabad → Yesvantpur
Launched: 1 Feb 2008
Route: Telangana → Karnataka
Frequency: Daily
Connects: Hyderabad–Bengaluru
7. 12215 / 12216 – Delhi Sarai Rohilla → Bandra Terminus
Launched: 7 Feb 2008
Route: Delhi → Haryana → Rajasthan → Gujarat → Maharashtra
Frequency: Tri-weekly
Connects: Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Mumbai
8. 12535 / 12536 – Lucknow Charbagh → Raipur Jn
Launched: 23 Feb 2008
Route: Uttar Pradesh → MP → Chhattisgarh
Frequency: Weekly
Connects: Lucknow, Kanpur, Jabalpur, Raipur
9. 12517 / 12518 – Kolkata → Guwahati
Launched: 30 Mar 2008
Route: West Bengal → Assam
Frequency: Weekly
Connects: Kolkata, Malda Town, New Jalpaiguri, Guwahati
10. 12207 / 12208 – Kathgodam → Jammu Tawi
Launched: 8 Apr 2008
Route: Uttarakhand → UP → Haryana → Punjab → J&K
Frequency: Three days a week
Connects: Haldwani, Moradabad, Ambala, Ludhiana, Jammu
11. 12209 / 12210 – Kanpur Central → Kathgodam
Launched: 16 Sep 2008
Route: Uttar Pradesh → Uttarakhand
Frequency: Five days a week
Connects: Kanpur, Lucknow, Bareilly, Kathgodam
12. 12435 / 12436 – Jaynagar → Anand Vihar Terminal
Launched: 29 Sep 2008
Route: Bihar → UP → Delhi
Frequency: Weekly
Connects: Jaynagar, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Ghaziabad, Delhi
13. 12739 / 12740 – Visakhapatnam → Secunderabad
Launched: 25 Oct 2008
Route: Andhra Pradesh → Telangana
Frequency: Daily
Connects: Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Secunderabad
14. 12881 / 12882 – Puri → Shalimar
Launched: 6 Jan 2009
Route: Odisha → West Bengal
Frequency: Daily
Connects: Puri, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Kharagpur, Shalimar
15. 12113 / 12114 – Pune → Nagpur
Launched: 19 Jan 2009
Route: Maharashtra
Frequency: Daily
Connects: Pune, Manmad, Akola, Nagpur
16. 12877 / 12878 – Ranchi → New Delhi
Launched: 28 Jan 2009
Route: Jharkhand → UP → Delhi
Frequency: Tri-weekly
Connects: Ranchi, Bokaro, Gaya, Kanpur, Delhi
17. 12211 / 12212 – Muzaffarpur → Anand Vihar Terminal
Launched: 11 Feb 2009
Route: Bihar → UP → Delhi
Frequency: Weekly
Connects: Muzaffarpur, Hajipur, Gorakhpur, Lucknow, Delhi
18. 12983 / 12984 – Ajmer Junction → Chandigarh
Launched: 14 Feb 2009
Route: Rajasthan → Haryana → Punjab → Chandigarh
Frequency: Tri-weekly
Connects: Ajmer, Jaipur, Hisar, Ludhiana, Chandigarh
19. 12187 / 12188 – Jabalpur → Mumbai CSMT
Launched: 20 Feb 2009
Route: MP → Maharashtra
Frequency: Tri-weekly
Connects: Jabalpur, Itarsi, Nashik, Mumbai
20. 12257 / 12258 – Yesvantpur → Kochuveli
Launched: 24 Feb 2009
Route: Karnataka → Kerala
Frequency: Tri-weekly
Connects: Bengaluru, Salem, Coimbatore, Ernakulam, Kochuveli
21. 22541 / 22552 – Banaras → Anand Vihar Terminal
Launched: 3 Mar 2009
Route: UP → Delhi
Frequency: Weekly
Connects: Varanasi, Prayagraj, Kanpur, Delhi
22. 22405 / 22406 – Bhagalpur → Anand Vihar Terminal
Launched: 10 Feb 2011
Route: Bihar → UP → Delhi
Frequency: Weekly
Connects: Bhagalpur, Jamalpur, Patna, Kanpur, Delhi
23. 22409 / 22410 – Gaya Junction → Anand Vihar Terminal
Launched: 3 July 2011
Route: Bihar → UP → Delhi
Frequency: Weekly
Connects: Gaya, Sasaram, Varanasi, Lucknow, Delhi
24. 12593 / 12594 – Lucknow Charbagh → Bhopal Junction
Launched: 19 Nov 2011
Route: UP → MP
Frequency: Weekly
Connects: Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Bhopal
25. 22883 / 22884 – Puri → Yesvantpur
Launched: 20 July 2012
Route: Odisha → Andhra Pradesh → Karnataka
Frequency: Weekly
Connects: Puri, Khurda Road, Brahmapur, Visakhapatnam, Bengaluru
26. 12501 / 12502 – Kolkata → Agartala
Launched: 5 July 2024
Route: West Bengal → Assam → Tripura
Frequency: Weekly
Connects: Kolkata, Siliguri, Guwahati, Badarpur, Agartala
Defunct or Converted Garib Rath Routes (Discontinued Services)
1. 12255 / 12256 – Yesvantpur → Puducherry Garib Rath Express
This Garib Rath service has been discontinued and converted into a regular express train. It no longer operates as a Garib Rath Express.
2. 02709 – Gudur → Secunderabad Garib Rath Special
This special train operated temporarily and used a shared rake with the Secunderabad–Yesvantpur Garib Rath Express.
It has been withdrawn and is no longer part of the active Garib Rath network.
3. 0655 / 0656 – Chennai CST Garib Rath Special & Chennai Central → Tirunelveli Garib Rath Special
Both these special services were operated using rake sharing with the Chennai–Hazrat Nizamuddin Garib Rath Express.
These trains are now discontinued and no longer run as Garib Rath services.
Features of Garib Rath Trains
- Fully AC coaches (3-tier / Chair Car)
- No free bedding (to reduce cost)
- Affordable AC travel (40–50% cheaper)
- Well-maintained coaches
- Fast end-to-end connectivity
- More seats compared to regular AC 3-tier
Benefits of Travelling by Garib Rath
- Cheapest AC travel option in India
- Comfortable for long journeys
- Ideal for students & budget travelers
- Wide network across metros
- Clean and hygienic coaches
FAQs on Garib Rath Train List in India
Q1. How many Garib Rath trains are running in India?
Around 10 Garib Rath trains are active as of 2025.
Q2. Are Garib Rath trains fully AC?
Yes, all coaches are fully air-conditioned.
Q3. Is bedding provided in Garib Rath?
No, passengers need to carry their own bedding or buy one on the train.
Q4. Are Garib Rath trains cheaper than normal AC trains?
Yes, they are up to 50% cheaper than regular AC trains.
Q5. Can I book Garib Rath tickets online?
Yes, tickets can be booked via IRCTC website or app.
Q6. Do Garib Rath trains have sleeper class?
No, only AC 3-tier and AC Chair Car.
Q7. Are Garib Rath trains fast?
They run at Superfast Express speed on most routes.
Q8. Does Garib Rath have a pantry car?
Some trains have pantry cars; others offer onboard catering.
Q9. Is Garib Rath still running in 2025?
Yes, Indian Railways continues to operate selected Garib Rath routes.
Q10. Which is the most popular Garib Rath train?
The Sealdah–New Delhi Garib Rath (12259/60) is among the most preferred.
