Rajkot–Secunderabad Express

Rajkot – Secunderabad Express
Overview
Service type	Superfast
Locale	Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra & Gujarat
First service	5 April 1987; 37 years ago
Current operator(s)	South Central Railway
Route
Termini	Rajkot Junction (RJT); Secunderabad (SC)
Stops	26
Distance travelled	1,472 km (915 mi)
Average journey time	26 hrs 30 mins
Service frequency	Tri-weekly
Train number(s)	22717 / 22718
On-board services
Class(es)	AC 2 tier, AC 3 tier, Sleepar Class, General Unreserved
Seating arrangements	Yes
Sleeping arrangements	Yes
Catering facilities	E-catering ; On-board catering
Observation facilities	Large windows
Baggage facilities	Below the seats
Technical
Rolling stock	ICF coach
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) ; broad gauge
Operating speed	57 km/h (35 mph) average with halts
Route map
Route map

The 22717 / 22718 Rajkot - Secunderabad Express is the superfast trains operated by the South Central Railway zone of the Indian Railways between Rajkot Junction in Gujarat and Secunderabad Junction in Hyderabad, Telangana.

History

The Rajkot–Secunderabad Express is a popular train in the South Central Railway zone of the Indian Railways. It is only one of three trains connecting Hyderabad with Rajkot in the state of Gujarat, the other two being the Bhavnagar Terminus–Kakinada Port Express and the Rameswaram–Okha Express. The train was introduced in the year 1985 to run from Ahmedabad to Hyderabad as a weekly super-fast train.^{[citation needed]} But, due to the increasing rush of passengers the train was made bi-weekly in June 2001^[1] and tri-weekly in April 2003.^[2]^[3] The train was later extended to Rajkot and was degraded to Express status as the number of stops were increased.^{[citation needed]}

Over the years, some class train coaches have been augmented or reduced, train numbers were changed from 17017 / 17018 to 22717 / 22718 and it was converted from an express to a superfast train in late 2021.^[4]^[5]

Coach composition

The train has standard ICF rakes with max speed of 110 kmph. The train consists of 21/22 coaches:

2 AC II Tier
5 AC III Tier
10 Sleeper coaches
2/3 General Unreserved
2 Seating cum Luggage Rake

Service

The 22717/Rajkot–Secunderabad Express has an average speed of 56 km/h and covers 1472 km in 26 hrs 10 mins.

The 22718/Secunderabad–Rajkot Express has an average speed of 55 km/h and covers 1472 km in 26 hrs 50 mins.

Route and halts

The 22717/18 Rajkot–Secunderabad Express runs from Rajkot Junction via Surendranagar Junction, Ahmedabad Junction, Vadodara Junction, Surat, Vasai Road, Kalyan Junction, Pune Junction, Solapur, Kalaburagi Junction, Wadi Junction to Secunderabad Junction.

Schedule

Train number	Station code	Departure station	Departure time	Departure day	Arrival station	Arrival time	Arrival day
22717	RJT	Rajkot Junction	05:30 AM	Mon,Wed,Thu	Secunderabad Junction	07:40 AM	Tue,Thu,Fri
22718	SC	Secunderabad Junction	15:00 PM	Mon,Tue,Sat	Rajkot Junction	17:50 PM	Sun,Tue,Wed

Traction

Both trains are hauled by a Vijayawada Loco Shed based WAP-4 or Lallaguda Loco Shed based WAP-7 electric locomotive from Rajkot to Secunderabad and vice-versa.