Extended service to provide direct rail connectivity from Narsingdi, Brahmanbaria, Cumilla, Feni and other districts
The Mahanagar Express will extend its Dhaka-Chattogram route to Cox’s Bazar from 26 October, allowing passengers from several intermediate districts to travel directly to the tourist destination.
Tickets for the inaugural Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar journey on October 26 went on sale on Friday. Fares range from Tk685 to Tk1,570.
The extended service will allow passengers from Narsingdi, Brahmanbaria, Cumilla, Feni and other areas along the route to reach Cox’s Bazar without changing trains.
According to railway sources, the train will leave Kamalapur Railway Station in Dhaka at 8:30pm daily, reach Chattogram at 2:40am and arrive in Cox’s Bazar at 6am the following day.
On the return journey, it will depart Cox’s Bazar at 9am, stop at Chattogram at 12:10pm and reach Dhaka at 6:30pm. Sunday will be its weekly off day.
Tickets for the 27 October journey from Cox’s Bazar to Dhaka will go on sale on Saturday.
Mohammad Mehedi Hasan, platform master at Cox’s Bazar Railway Station, said fares from Cox’s Bazar to Dhaka had been set at Tk685 at the lowest and Tk1,570 at the highest. The fare to Chattogram will range from Tk240 to Tk547.
More stations to get direct connectivity
Currently, two pairs of trains operate between Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar, while another two pairs run between Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar. The addition of the Mahanagar Express will increase train services on the route and improve direct connectivity for passengers from intermediate districts.
The train currently stops at 12 stations after leaving Kamalapur. Under the extended route, its stop at Kumira station in Sitakunda will be discontinued.
It will continue to stop at the airport, Narsingdi, Bhairab Bazar, Ashuganj, Brahmanbaria, Akhaura, Kasba, Cumilla, Laksham, Nangalkot and Feni stations.
According to an official railway order, the train will have 16 coaches, with its seating capacity increased from 700 to 736.
Jasim Uddin, a resident of Cumilla, said travelling to Cox’s Bazar had previously involved extra time and inconvenience because there was no direct train service from the district.
“With the new service, passengers will be able to travel to Cox’s Bazar without changing trains,” he said, adding that the service would also benefit tourism.
Another passenger, Shahadat Hossain, said the additional stops would allow more people to travel to Cox’s Bazar by train. He stressed the importance of maintaining the schedule.
Passengers have welcomed the route extension but called for easier access to tickets, stronger measures against ticket scalping and improved punctuality.
Hasanuzzaman, a tourist visiting Cox’s Bazar, said tickets were often difficult to obtain through both online and offline channels. He alleged that tickets sometimes sold out within minutes of sales opening.
He called for strict action against those involved in ticket scalping and greater transparency in ticket sales.
Mohammad Zainal Abedin, station master at Cox’s Bazar Iconic Railway Station, said the train would begin its extended journey from Dhaka on October 26, while regular passenger services from Cox’s Bazar would start on 27 October.
He said station authorities are prepared to provide passenger services, although the station is facing a staff shortage. He expressed hope that the shortage could gradually be addressed.
Tourism businesses expect economic boost
Tourism businesses expect the extended service to attract more visitors to Cox’s Bazar by making travel easier for people from districts along the Dhaka-Chattogram corridor.
They believe the service could boost earnings and create employment opportunities in hotels, restaurants, transport services and other tourism-dependent businesses.
Abu Taleb Shah, general manager of Hotel Cox Today, said the train would allow passengers from different regions to travel directly to Cox’s Bazar, potentially increasing the number of domestic tourists.
An increase in visitors could benefit hotels, restaurants, transport operators, fish and vegetable markets, and other tourism-related businesses, he said.
He added that initiatives are being taken to develop and recruit skilled workers to meet the expected rise in demand.
The route extension is expected to improve direct rail connectivity between Cox’s Bazar and several districts along the corridor. Passengers, however, say the benefits will depend on ticket availability, service quality and punctuality.
