AP Express from Vizag launched

Visakhapatnam: The city is now well connected to New Delhi with the launch of AP Express, which has been a major demand for many years. Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu formally launched the train from New Delhi through remote control in the presence of Ministers M Venkaiah Naidu, P Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Bandaru Dattatreya on Wednesday morning.

In the city, MLAs P Vishnu Kumar Raju, Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu, PVGR Naidu, Vasupalle Ganesh Kumar and MLC MVVS Murthi flagged off the train from platform No 1. The tri-weekly superfast train announced in the Union budget has one 1st AC, five-2nd AC, seven-3rd AC, one-AC pantry car, besides two generator cars.

The coaches initially developed in Germany are made up of stainless steel have modular interiors that integrate lighting into ceiling and have wider windows. The improved suspension system of the coaches ensures more comfort, better air-conditioning and are relatively quieter compared to conventional coaches.

The train will leave Visakhapatnam at 7.45 am on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and will reach New Delhi at 7 pm on Thursdays, Saturdays and Mondays. In the return direction, the train will leave New Delhi at 6.40 am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and will reach Visakhapatnam at 6.45pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The train will stop at Duvvada, Anakapalli, Samalkot, Rajahmundry, Tadepalligudem, Eluru, Vijayawada, Khammam, Warangal, Peddapalli, Ramagundam, Sirpur Kagaz Nagar, Balharshah, Chandrapur, Nagpur, Itarsi, Bhopal, Jhansi, Gwalior and Agra Cantt.