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Flagged off officially on Saturday along with two more trains from Sairang, the Rajdhani will start commercial services from September 19 from Mizoram and September 21 from Delhi
The Aizawl (Sairang) to New Delhi Rajdhani Express, during its flagging off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Aizawl, Mizoram. (@RailMinIndia/X via PTI)
The Sairang Rajdhani, Mizoram’s first direct train to Delhi, hasn’t even begun its commercial services, but tickets for the Diwali week from the national capital are already gone. The rush, however, is for Patna, not Mizoram.
Flagged off officially on Saturday along with two more trains from Sairang, the Rajdhani will start the commercial services from September 19 from Mizoram and September 21 from Delhi. The other two trains inaugurated on Saturday are – Sairang-Guwahati Express and Sairang-Kolkata Express.
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Speaking to News18, a Ministry official said that as of 6 pm on Sunday, the booking for the Diwali week – October 19 – is already completed. Diwali will be celebrated on October 21. While Diwali is not a prominent festival for the state, those studying and working in northern India will get a lot of holidays.
The numbers, shared by the officials, show that the waitlist for 3AC is 112, 2AC is 34 and for the 1AC it is “Regret” – no seats are available, not even on the waitlist. This status appears when even the waitlist quota is full.
The major rush on this train is between Delhi and Patna as the train shows 384 empty seats on 3AC and 83 seats vacant between Patna and Sairang for the same trip. The rush is also linked to Chhath, another major festival in Bihar, due later in October.
Also, the booking shows there is not much demand for the first few journeys from Delhi. Nearly 500 seats in 3AC remain for September 21, and 400 or more for September 28, October 5 and 12.
“There is time and since festivals and vacations are coming mostly in October, we are expecting more booking around that time,” the ministry official explained, demanding anonymity.
For the journey from Sairang, there are seats in the 3AC – about 200 seats vacant (as of 6 pm on Sunday) for the next eight weeks till November 7.
Route, Timings and Fares
The train, starting from Anand Vihar in Delhi, covers 18 stations in the route, including Kanpur, Mughalsarai, Patna, Malda, and Guwahati.
The train, supporting dynamic pricing, will start from Sairang at 4.30 pm on every Friday from September 19 onwards and will reach Delhi by 10.50 am on Sundays. The 42 hours and 20 minutes journey will cost Rs 3,625 for the Third Class AC, Rs 4,820 for the Second Class AC and Rs 7,890 for the First Class AC.
The train will start from Delhi at 7.50 pm every Sunday, starting September 21, and will reach Sairang – about 20 km from Aizawl – by 3.15 pm on Tuesdays. The stoppage at Patna comes about 8 am on Monday.
The train is expected to cover the return journey in 43 hours and 25 minutes. The Third Class AC costs Rs 3,720, the Second Class AC costs Rs 4,915 and the First Class AC costs Rs 7,995.
With the Rajdhani’s debut, Mizoram finally joins the elite club of state capitals with a direct train to Delhi — a milestone that officials say will reshape travel and economic ties for the state.
The Sairang Rajdhani has the potential to be a lifeline for Mizoram’s growing number of students and professionals living far from home. It will also make the Northeast more accessible for tourists.
About the Author
Nivedita Singh is a data journalist and covers the Election Commission, Indian Railways and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. She has nearly seven years of experience in the news media. She tweets @nived…Read More
Nivedita Singh is a data journalist and covers the Election Commission, Indian Railways and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. She has nearly seven years of experience in the news media. She tweets @nived… Read More
September 14, 2025, 19:41 IST
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