Kolkata Suburban Railway
The railways form the life line of India. Railway journeys in India are a completely different experience - right from booking your tickets to reaching your destination. The Indian Railways (IR) has several divisions of which the Eastern Railway and the South Eastern Railway are headquartered in Kolkata. There are two major railway stations in Calcutta - Howrah and Sealdah. Another major terminal is being built at Chitpur. Calcutta and its neighbouring districts have an extensive (but crowded) suburban railway system. Most of the trains are EMUs (Electric Multiple Units). The Suburban railway system can be categorized as follows:
Zones and corridors
The suburban railway services in Kolkata are operated by Eastern Railway (ER) and South Eastern Railway (SER). The Kolkata Metro Railway operates the underground Metro services in the city as well. There is a separate Circular Railway corridor in the city also operated by ER.
From Sealdah Station
Main Section
This line serves the northern suburbs on the eastern bank of Hooghly River and further east towards the very end of the international border between India and Bangladesh. The destinations facilitated by this line are:
- In North 24 Parganas district along the banks of the Hooghly like Dum Dum, Barrackpore, Naihati.
- In North 24 Parganas district towards the north east and towards the Bangladesh border like Bongaon, Basirhat, Hasnabad.
- In Nadia district like Kalyani, Ranaghat, Shantipur and Krishnangar.
South Section
This line operates on the southern parts of the city and serves the southern suburbs of Calcutta and the entire South 24 Parganas district. The areas served are:
- The southern suburbs like like Ballygunge, Jadavpur, Garia, Budge Budge, Sonarpur.
- In the South 24 Parganas district like Port Canning, Diamond Harbour, Lakshmikantapur, Kakdwip.
The Kakdwip line is being extended to Namkhana and is expected to be completed soon.
Sealdah Main Section
Within Greater Kolkata: Sealdah, Bidhannagar Road, Dum Dum.
At Dum Dum, the line branches into: 1. Barasat section 2. Dankuni section 3. Naihati section
Barasat section
Dum Dum, Dum Dum Cantt., Durganagar, Birati, Bisharpara Kodalia, New Barrackpore, Madhyamgram, Hridaypur, Barasat
However, at Dum Dum Cantt., the Airport line cuts off to serve the follwing stations: Dum Dum Cantt., Madanpur, Airport.
At Barasat, the line splits into: 1. Bongaon line 2. Hasnabad line
Bongaon line
Barasat, Bamangachi, Duttapukur Within North 24 Parganas: Bira, Guma, Ashoknagar Road, Habra, Sanhati, Machlandapur, Gobardanga, Thakurnagar, Chandpara, Bibhuti Bhushan, Bongaon.
Hasnabad line
Barasat, Karea Kadambagachhi, Bahira Kalibari, Sondalia, Beliaghata Road, Labutala, Bhasila, Harua Road, Karka Mirzanagar, Malatipur, Ghoraras Ghona, Champapukur, Bhyabla, Basirhat, Madhyampur, Nimdanri, Taki Road, Hasnabad.
Dankuni section
Starts from Dum Dum. Dum Dum, Baranagar Road, Dakshineswar, Bally Ghat, Bally, Rajchandrapur, Dankuni.
Naihati section
Dum Dum, Belghoria, Agarpara, Sodepur, Khardaha, Titagarh, Barrackpore, Palta, Ichhapur, Shyamnagar, Jagaddal, Kakinara, Naihati
At Naihati, the line splits into: 1. Bandel section 2. Gede section
Bandel section
Gede section
At Kalyani, the Kalyani Simanta line branches off forming two line:
1)Kalyani, Kalyani Shilpanchal, Kalyani Ghoshpara, Kalyani Simanta
and
2)Kalyani, Madanpur, Simurali, Palpara, Chakdaha, Payradanga, Ranaghat, Kalinarayanpur
At Kalinarayanpur, the three lines branch off: 1. Shantipur line 2. Krishnanagar line 3. Gede line
Shantipur line
Kalinarayanpur, Habibpur, Phulia, Bathna Krittibas, Shantipur.
Krishnanagar line
Kalinarayanpur, Birnagar, Taherpur, Badkulla, Jalalkhali, Krishnanagar City
Gede line
Kalinarayanpur, Bankimnagar, Panchberia, Aranghata, Bahirgachhi, Bhayna, Bagula, Mayur, Taraknagar, Majhdia, Banpur, Harishpur, Gede.
Sealdah South Section
Within Greater Kolkata: Sealdah, Park Circus, Ballygunge
At Ballygunge, the line splits up into the 1)South secions, and 2)Budge Budge Section
Budge budge section
Ballygunge, Lake Gardens, Tollygunge, New Alipore, Majherhat, Brace Bridge, Santoshpur, Akra, Nungi, Budge Budge
South section
Ballygunge, Dhakuria, Jadavpur, Bagha Jatin, Garia, Narendrapur, Sonarpur
The Canning branch splits from Sonarpur to Canning line and Baruipur section.
Canning line
Sonarpur, Bidyadharpur, Kalikapur, Champahati, Piali, Gourdaha, Ghutiari Shariff, Beathberia Ghola, Taldi, Canning
Baruipur section
Within Greater Kolkata: Sonarpur, Subhasgram, Mallikpur, Baruipur
At Baruipur, the line branches into the Diamond Harbour section and the Kakdwip section.
Diamond Harbour line
Within South 24 Parganas: Baruipur, Kalyanpur, Dakshin Durgapur, Hotar, Dhamuah, Uttar Radhanagar, Magra Hat, Bahirpuya, Sangrampur, Deula, Netra, Basuldanga, Gurudas Nagar, Diamond Harbour.
Kakdwip line
Within South 24 Parganas: Baruipur, Sashan Road, Krishna Mohan, Dhapdhapi, Suryapur, Gocharan, Hogla, Dakshin Barasat, Baharu, Jaynagar Majilpur, Mathurapur Road, Madhabpur, Lakshmikantapur, Udairampur, Kulpi, Karanjali, Nischindapur Market, Nischindapur, Kashinagar, Kakdwip. This line is being extended to Namkhana.
From Howrah Station
South Eastern Railways
Operated by the South Eastern Railway, this section of the line serves the south western suburbs of Greater Kolkata. The destination stations lie :
- In the south western part of Howrah district like Santragachi, Andul, Amta
- In the East Midnapore district like Panskura, Haldia.
- In the eastern and southern part of West Midnapore district like Kharagpur, Midnapore and Digha.
Eastern Railways
Operated by the Howrah section of Eastern Railways, this line runs on the western banks of river Hooghly and serves the following areas:
- The northern part of Howrah district like Belur, Bally.
- The eastern part of Hooghly district like Rishra, Serampore, Chandannagar, Bandel.
- The central part of Hooghly district like Tarakeshwar.
- The central part of Bardhaman district connecting the town of Bardhaman. From Barddhaman, another suburban service connects the cities of Durgapur and Asansol further to the west.
- The eastern part of Bardhaman district like Katwa.
Howrah to Bardhaman is reached by two corridors popularly known as the Main Line and the Chord Line. The main Line runs through the towns of Serampore, Chandernagore and Bandel. Whereas, the Chord Line runs through the towns of Dankuni, Baruipara, Kamarkundu and Masagram.
Howrah South Eastern Section
Howrah, Tikiapara, Dasnagar, Ramrajatala, Santragachi
At Santragachi, the line splits up into three sections :
- Shalimar Section
- Amta Section
- Panskura Section
Shalimar Section
Santragachi, Padmapukur, Shalimar
Amta Section
Santragachi, Bankranayabaz, Baltikuri, Kona, Dansi, Jhalurberi, Makardaha, Domjur Road, Domjur, Dakshinbari, Bargachia, Pantihal, Munsirhat, Mahendralalnagar, Amta
Panskura Section
Santragachi, Mourigram, Andul, Sankrail, Abada, Nalpur, Bauria, Chengail, Phuleswar, Uluberia, Birshibpur, Kulgachia, Bagnan, Ghoraghata, Deulti, Kolaghat, Mecheda, Nandaigajan, Bhogpur, Narain Pakuria Murail, Panskura
At Panskura, the line further divides into:
- Midnapur Section
- Haldia Section
Midnapur Section
Panskura, Khirai, Haur, Radhamohanpur, Duan, Balichak, Shyamchak, Madpur, Jakpur, Kharagpur, Giri Maidan, Gokulpur, Midnapur
Haldia Section
Panskura, Raghunathbari, Rajgoda, Shahid Matangini, Tamluk, Keshabpur, Satish Samanta, Mahishadal, Barda, Basulya Sutahata, Durgachak, Durgachak Town, Lakshmikantapur, Haldia
Howrah Eastern Section
At Bally, the line splits into three sections:
- Dankuni Section
- Bardhaman Section
- Seoraphuli Section
Dankuni Section
Bardhaman Section
Bally, Bally Halt, Belanagar, Dankuni, Gobra, Janai Road, Begampur, Baruipara, Mirzapur Bankipur, Balarambati, Kamarkundu, Madhusudhanpur, Chandanpur, Porabazar, Belmuri, Sibaichandi, Hazigarh, Gurap, Jhapandanga, Jaugram, Nabagram, Masagram, Chanchai, Paila Road, Saktigarh, Gangipur, Bardhaman
Seoraphuli Section
Bally, Uttarpara, Hind Motor, Konnagar, Rishra, Serampore, Sheoraphuli
At Seoraphuli, the line branches into:
- Bandel Section
- Tarakeshwar Section
Bandel Section
Seoraphuli, Baidyabati, Bhadreshwar, Mankundu, Chandannagar, Chunchura, Hooghly, Bandel
At Bandel, the line splits into:
- Bardhaman Section
- Katwa Section
Bardhaman Section
Bandel, Adisaptagram, Magra, Talandu, Khanyan, Pundooah, Simlagarh, Bainchigram, Bainchi, Debipur, Bagila, Memari, Nimo, Rasulpur, Palsit, Saktigarh, Gangipur, Bardhaman
Katwa Section
Tarakeshwar Section
Circular Railway
This line encircles the entire city of Kolkata. It starts from Dum Dum Junction in the north and passes through Chitpur, Burrabazar, B.B.D.Bagh, Prinsep Ghat, Hastings, Kidderpore, Remount Road, Majherhat, Ballygunge, Sir Gurudas Banerjee Halt and finally back to Dum Dum Junction.
Circular Railway stations
Dum Dum, Patipukur, Belgachia, Tala, Ultadanga Road, Bagbazar, Shovabazar, Chitpur, Burrabazar, B.B.D. Bagh, Prinsep Ghat, Hastings, Kidderpore, Remount Road, Majherhat, New Alipore, Tollygunge, Lake Gardens, Ballygunge, Sir Gurudas Banerjee Halt, Bidhannagar Road, Dum Dum