Humsafar Express: Affordable luxury with no concessions, launches tomorrow

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's poll promise to revamp railways comes closer to the aam aadmi with Humsafar Express. While it doesn't have the speed or luxury of a Gatiman, a Tiger or a Talgo, it still gives you far more than you get in the AC-3 tier coach of old trains. The Bollywood ring to the name suggests it is targeted at middle-class travellers, keeping their aspirations as well as pockets in mind.

Announced by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu during this year's Rail Budget speech, Humsafar is likely to be on track from 16 December, 2016, when Prabhu flags it via video conference. With 16 coaches of 72 seats each and two power cars, Humsafar will run at 110 to 130 kmph between Anand Vihar in Ghaziabad to Gorakhpur, stopping at Chipyana Buzurg, Gonda, Kanpur Central, Lucknow (NR), Barabanki and Basti, covering the distance in 13 hours.

Passengers have to shell out 1.15 per cent more as base fare than the normal Mail/Express AC-3 rate since the train is equipped with coffee/tea/soup vending machine, hot and refrigerated pantry and other facilities in each cabin.

"Since manufacturing cost of these coaches with modern facilities is higher than the normal AC coaches there has to be special fares for these services, a senior Railway Ministry official said.

According to the Humsafar fare structure, 50 per cent of the tickets will be made available for passengers on 1.15 per cent higher base fare and thereafter 10 per cent increase on every 10 per cent tickets sold on subsequent bookings.

For example, the normal Mail/Express AC-3 base fare is Rs 960 which will become Rs 1104, an increase by 1.15 per cent.

After 50 per cent sale of total tickets, the base fare will go up to Rs 1214, an increase of 10 per cent for 10 per cent berths then it will again surge by another 10 per cent increase for subsequent 10 per cent bookings.

Finally, the highest fare will be Rs 1656, an increase of 1.5 per cent from the base fare for the last 10 per cent berths.

Other additional charges like reservation fee, superfast charges, service tax, will be levied separately. While the passengers have to pay for their meals if booked, separately, the bedroll is inclusive of fare.

Aimed to give an affordable luxury experience to the common man, Humsafar is likely to live up to its name and make for quite an amiable fellow traveller. It's vibrant colours are a welcome break from the bland grey and rust you have become used to. And so are the colourful curtains. The anti-graffiti vinyl coating ensures you will no more see 'Amit-loves-Renu' type of declarations of love or dirty anonymous scribbles inside toilets. The bottle holders next to the seat as well as the mirror between the berths are unbreakable.

The train has a very efficient systems to detect fire and smoke as well as control them. That makes it much safer than old trains. Also, smokers who can't resist the urge and light up on the sly be warned!

Even if you close your eyes you can still tell when you enter a railway coach by its very smell. That's over with Humsafar. PM Modi's Swachh Bharat drive gets a full play in this train. It has a dustbin in every cabin and an odour-control system in coaches as well as toilets. It also has bio-toilets which ensure ecological and hygienic disposal of waste. The toilets have more visible occupancy indicators.

A small pantry offers a do-it-yourself option with its self-service tea/coffee/soup-vending machine. If you bring your own food, you can keep it warm or cold as the train has a heating chamber as well as a refrigerating box.

For at least six months, there will be no fare concessions such as to staff, senior citizens and cancer patients.

(With inputs from PTI)