Bhubaneswar: With September last week as the probable launch day, the Railways has scheduled the second trail run of the second Vande Bharat for Odisha between Puri and Rourkela for Wednesday.
The 20836 Puri-Rourkela Vande Bharat Express train will depart Puri railway station at 5 am on September 20 and reach Rourkela at 12.45 pm. In the return direction, the semi-high-speed train will leave Rourkela at 2.10 pm and will arrive in Puri at 9.40 pm.
The Vande Bharat, covering 505 km distance at an average speed of 63.33 kmph-65.16 kmph, will halt at Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Angul, Kerejanga, Sambalpur city and Jharsuguda.
The train is likely to run six days a week, except on Saturdays. Except for Bhubaneswar, where the train will halt for five minutes, the stoppage is for two minutes at other stations. It will cover the distance of 505 km in 7 hrs and 30 minutes from Puri-Rourkela and 7 hours and 45 minutes on the down line i.e. Rourkela to Puri.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to flag off this train on September 30.
The first Vande Bharat Express between Puri and Howrah was flagged off on May 18. PM Modi had then promised another semi high-speed train for Odisha. The Puri-Rourkela Vande Bharat Express will cater to the rush between the coastal and western Odisha regions, sources said.