Nearly all of us have travelled by a train at least once in our lives. Besides providing a remarkable travel experience, there are other things that the Railways can surprise you with… like these 15 incredible facts:
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- Gorakhpur is home to the longest platform in the world, which is 4,483 feet in length.
- Can you guess the mascot of the Indian Railways? Well, it’s Bholu, the guard elephant.
- On 16th April 1853, the first passenger train ran between Bombay and Thane.
- Howrah-Amritsar Express has the maximum number of halts (115 halts).
- The shortest station name is Ib (Odisha) and the longest is Sri Venkatanarasimharajuvaripeta (Tamil Nadu).
- The slowest train in India is the Mettupalayam –- Ooty Nilgiri passenger train which runs at a speed of 10 kmph and the fastest is the Vande Bharat Express or Train 18 which runs at a speed of 180 kmph.
- Indian Railways is the world’s 8th largest employer. That is incredible!
- Lord Dalhousie is known as the Father of Indian Railways.
- The first Railway Minister of India was John Mathai.
- Bogibeel Bridge on the Brahmaputra River in Assam is the longest rail-cum-road bridge of India.
- The longest rail tunnel in India is Pir Pranjal, located in the Pir Pranjal range of the middle Himalayas in Jammu Kashmir.
- Indian Railways proudly owns 5 royal trains named Royal Rajasthan on Wheels, Palace on Wheels, The Golden Chariot, The Maharajas’ Express, and The Deccan Odyssey.
- Indian Railways owns four UNESCO recognised world heritage sites.
- At Mathura junction, 7 railway lines emerge, the maximum railway route from a single location.
- Howrah Junction is the busiest railway station of Indian Railways with the most number of platforms.
Till we meet again, happy travels!
