Bhubaneswar: With an aim to improve connectivity, punctuality, safety and overall travel comfort across its network, East Coast Railway (ECoR) has rolled out a series of passenger-friendly and operational enhancements with the implementation of its revised Working Time Table (WTT) 2026, effective from January 1.
Under the new timetable, six new trains (three pairs) have been introduced to strengthen rail connectivity on key routes. These include services on the Udhna–Berhampur–Udhna route, Sambalpur–Boudh–Sambalpur section, and the weekly Boudh–Bhubaneswar New– Boudh Express.
In addition, fourteen trains (seven pairs) have been extended to new destinations in order to enhance access to interior and regional areas.
Notable extensions include the Howrah–Titlagarh Express up to Junagarh Road, Bolangir–Sonepur Passenger and Bhubaneswar–Sonepur Inter City up to Purunakatak and Visakhapatnam–Bhubaneswar Inter City, Visakha Express and Konark Express up to Bhubaneswar New.
To meet increasing passenger demand, the frequency of Udhna–Berhampur–Udhna Amrit Bharat Express (19021/19022) has been increased from weekly to tri-weekly.
The days of service of four trains, including Secunderabad–Visakhapatnam Vande Bharat and Rourkela– Puri Vande Bharat Express, have also been revised to improve operational efficiency.
Two trains, the Puri– Bhanjapur–Puri Express (12891/12892), have been renumbered with the change taking effect from February 1, 2026.
In a significant move to reduce travel time, ten trains have been sped up, cutting end-to-end journey time by up to 35 minutes on selected routes. Passenger safety and comfort have also been enhanced with the conversion of four trains to LHB coaches.
The revised timetable provides 56 additional stoppages at important stations such as Loisinga, Norla Road, Bolagarh Town PH, Sakhigopal, Mancheswar, Naraj Marthapur, Bhusandpur, Boinda, Ambodala, Theruvali, Muribahal, Deogaon Road, Talcher Road and Nergundi, benefiting local commuters and nearby regions.
Further, arrival and departure timings of 25 trains have been revised to improve punctuality. For better terminal management and optimal path utilisation, 27 ECoR-owned trains have undergone marginal adjustments in their total time on run without affecting passenger convenience.
Timings of 10 trains at selected stations have also been advanced from January 1, 2026.