Subarna Express Schedule — Station Timings, Stoppage & Ticket Price (2026)
Some trains just have a reputation that precedes them. The Subarna Express — Train 701/702 — has been running the Dhaka-Chittagong corridor since 14 April 1998, and nearly three decades later it is still the train most people ask for by name when they want to travel this route. Named “Subarna” — golden in Bengali — it was inaugurated on Pohela Boishakh as Bangladesh Railway’s first truly premium non-stop intercity service. That original promise, of a fast, reserved, near non-stop connection between the capital and the port city, is still what it delivers today.
Both directions are covered below — Train 701 from Chittagong to Dhaka, and Train 702 from Dhaka to Chittagong — with station timings, the full stoppage list, ticket prices, and the practical details that actually matter.
| Subarna Express — Key Details Train Numbers: 701 (Chittagong → Dhaka) | 702 (Dhaka → Chittagong) Route: Chittagong Railway Station ↔ Dhaka Kamalapur Distance: 346 km Journey Time: ~5 hours 20 minutes Off Day: Friday — does not run Stoppages: One — Dhaka Airport (Biman Bandar) only Classes Available: Shovan Chair, Snigdha (AC Chair), AC Berth Live Tracking: SMS ‘TR 701’ or ‘TR 702’ to 16318 |
Train 701 — Chittagong to Dhaka Timing
Train 701 is the morning departure from Chittagong — the direction that gets Chittagong-based passengers to Dhaka before noon. It is a Chittagong-based train, meaning the coaches rest overnight in Chittagong and the journey begins there. Here is the complete Subarna Express schedule for Train 701:
| Station | Arrival | Departure | Halt |
| Chittagong Railway Station | — | 07:00 AM | Starting Station |
| Dhaka Airport — Biman Bandar | 11:40 AM | 11:43 AM | 3 minutes |
| Dhaka Kamalapur | 11:55 AM | — | Terminus |
| Important: Train 701 does not stop at Feni, Comilla, Brahmanbaria, Akhaura, or any other station between Chittagong and Dhaka Airport. The train runs directly between those two points. If you need to board or alight at an intermediate station, you need a different train — Mahanagar Provati (704) or Karnaphuli Express cover the intermediate stops. |
Train 702 — Dhaka to Chittagong Timing
Train 702 departs Kamalapur in the afternoon — the return run to Chittagong. The 4:30 PM departure from Dhaka is one of the most popular slots on this corridor because it allows a full working day in Dhaka before heading south. The complete timing:
| Station | Arrival | Departure | Halt |
| Dhaka Kamalapur | — | 04:30 PM | Starting Station |
| Dhaka Airport — Biman Bandar | 04:52 PM | 04:55 PM | 3 minutes |
| Chittagong Railway Station | 09:50 PM | — | Terminus |
| Boarding at Airport Station If you are coming from Uttara, Gulshan, Banani, or anywhere along the Airport Road corridor, boarding at Dhaka Airport Railway Station is far more practical than going all the way to Kamalapur. Train 702 stops at Airport Station at 4:52 PM — 22 minutes after the Kamalapur departure. Your ticket must be booked for Airport Station as your departure point. Both stations appear in the online booking seat map. |
Why the Subarna Express Only Stops Once
When Bangladesh Railway designed the Subarna Express in the late 1990s, the brief was deliberate: a premium, near non-stop service between Dhaka and Chittagong. No intermediate stops, no slow-downs for smaller stations, no passengers loading bags at Comilla. The idea was to give business travellers and frequent passengers a fast, reliable connection that did not feel like a local service.
The single stop at Airport Station was added as a practical concession — Dhaka’s northern suburbs had grown substantially, and a stop there cost only a few minutes while serving a large catchment of potential passengers. Everything else on the Dhaka-Chittagong corridor was left to the Mahanagar trains, which stop at the intermediate cities that this train deliberately skips.
The result: 346 kilometres in roughly 5 hours and 20 minutes. Not the fastest on the route — that is Sonar Bangla Express — but consistently fast and predictable. For passengers who travel this route regularly and value knowing exactly when they will arrive, the minimal stoppage list is the whole point of choosing this train.
| Complete Stoppage List 1. Chittagong Railway Station — Origin (Train 701) / Terminus (Train 702) 2. Dhaka Airport / Biman Bandar Station — Only intermediate stop. 3-minute halt in both directions. 3. Dhaka Kamalapur Railway Station — Terminus (Train 701) / Origin (Train 702) |
Ticket Prices — Updated 2026 Fares
The train runs three seat classes. Fares below reflect the December 2025 Eastern Zone revision, which added bridge and pontage charges to this corridor. A ৳ 20 online service fee applies on top of these fares when booking through eticket.railway.gov.bd:
| Class | Fare | What You Get |
| Shovan Chair | ৳ 215 | Fan-cooled reserved seat. Comfortable for this journey. Most popular class. |
| Snigdha (AC Chair) | ৳ 720 | Air-conditioned, reclining cushioned seat. Best value for comfort. |
| AC Berth | ৳ 1,393 | Fully air-conditioned sleeping berth. Available on select departures. |
| Fare Notes Shulov (super budget) and First Class Seat are not available on this train — only Shovan Chair, Snigdha, and AC Berth.Children under 3 travel free. Children aged 3 to 12 pay half the adult fare.Student concession cardholders get up to 50% off — apply at any Bangladesh Railway station with a valid student ID.Prices can change without prior notice. Always confirm the final fare at the time of booking. |
What to Expect on Board
Knowing the timetable is one thing. Knowing what you are actually getting into is another. The timetable tells you when. It does not tell you what the journey is actually like. Here is that part of the experience:
| The Coaches The train currently runs with South Korean Sung Sing Rolling Stock Technology (SSRST) coaches in a red-green livery — the newest generation imported by Bangladesh Railway. Clean interiors, properly functioning AC in Snigdha class, and seats that recline the way they are supposed to. On a hot day, the difference between Shovan Chair and Snigdha is real. But Shovan Chair is also entirely acceptable for a 5-hour trip if budget matters. Punctuality One of the more reliable trains on this corridor. The minimal stoppage list removes a lot of the variables that cause delays — no loading at busy intermediate stations, no waiting for platform clearance at Feni or Comilla. On most days it arrives within 10 to 20 minutes of schedule. Eid season and major holidays are exceptions — build in a buffer if timing is critical. Food There is a pantry car. Hot tea, snacks, and simple meals are available on board. The quality is train food — functional, not impressive — but a cup of cha somewhere around the Comilla stretch is one of the small pleasures of this journey. If you want better food, bring your own or pick something up from the platform vendors at Chittagong or Kamalapur before boarding. The Scenery The Dhaka-Chittagong corridor is flat delta country for most of its length — agricultural land, rivers appearing and disappearing, the occasional brick factory. It is not the dramatic scenery of the Sylhet route. But there is something quietly pleasant about watching the landscape open up after Dhaka, and the rivers near Comilla and Chandpur are genuinely beautiful in certain light. Window seat on either side is worth having. |
Booking Your Ticket — What You Need to Know
Online booking for this train — like all Bangladesh Railway intercity services — is done at eticket.railway.gov.bd. Select your route, date, and class. The seat map shows which seats are available — green is free, red is taken. Pay via bKash, Nagad, Rocket, or card. Your e-ticket arrives by SMS and email.
The booking window opens 10 days before the journey date at 8:00 AM. Snigdha and AC Berth seats on Friday and Saturday departures sell out within the first 30 to 60 minutes of the window opening. If you are travelling on a weekend and want Snigdha class, be logged in and ready at 8:00 AM on that 10th day. Shovan Chair seats last a little longer but also fill up fast.
Tips Worth Knowing Before You Travel
Subarna Express vs Sonar Bangla Express — The Honest Comparison
These are the two premium near non-stop trains on this corridor. Passengers regularly ask which to choose. The answer depends entirely on your timing:
| Factor | Subarna Express (701/702) | Sonar Bangla Express (787/788) |
| Speed | ~5 hrs 20 min | ~4 hrs 55 min — 25 min faster |
| Dhaka departure | 4:30 PM — afternoon | 7:00 AM — early morning |
| Chittagong departure | 7:00 AM — morning | 7:00 AM — same time |
| Off Day | Friday | Wednesday |
| Running since | 1998 — 28 years | 2016 — 10 years |
| Best for | Afternoon/evening travel | Morning travel, fastest option |
Short answer: if you are a morning traveller or want the fastest possible journey, Sonar Bangla wins on speed. If you prefer an afternoon departure from Dhaka or a morning departure from Chittagong, both trains leave at roughly the same time — and the Subarna Express has 18 more years of track record behind it.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Q: What is the Subarna Express schedule for 2026? A: Train 701 (Chittagong to Dhaka): Departs Chittagong at 7:00 AM, stops at Airport Station 11:40-11:43 AM, arrives Dhaka Kamalapur at 11:55 AM. Train 702 (Dhaka to Chittagong): Departs Kamalapur at 4:30 PM, stops at Airport Station 4:52-4:55 PM, arrives Chittagong at 9:50 PM. Off day is Friday. |
| Q: What stations does the Subarna Express stop at? A: Only one intermediate stop — Dhaka Airport (Biman Bandar) Railway Station. The train does not stop at Feni, Comilla, Brahmanbaria, Akhaura, or any other station on the Dhaka-Chittagong corridor. It is designed as a near non-stop premium service. |
| Q: What is the Subarna Express ticket price in 2026? A: Shovan Chair costs ৳ 215, Snigdha AC Chair costs ৳ 720, and AC Berth costs ৳ 1,393. A ৳ 20 online service charge applies when booking through eticket.railway.gov.bd. Fares were updated in December 2025 following the Eastern Zone pontage charge revision. |
| Q: What is the off day for this train? A: Friday is the weekly off day for both Train 701 and Train 702. The Subarna Express operates six days a week — Saturday through Thursday. |
| Q: Can I board at Airport Station instead of Kamalapur? A: Yes. Both Train 701 and Train 702 stop at Dhaka Airport (Biman Bandar) Railway Station. Train 702 reaches Airport Station at 4:52 PM and departs at 4:55 PM. You must book your ticket with Airport Station as your boarding point when purchasing online. |
| Q: How do I track this train live? A: Send an SMS to 16318. Type ‘TR 701’ for the Chittagong to Dhaka direction or ‘TR 702’ for Dhaka to Chittagong. You will receive the current location and expected arrival time within seconds. Works on Grameenphone, Robi, and Banglalink. Standard SMS charges apply. |
One Last Thing
Twenty-eight years on the same route, and the Subarna Express is still the train people reach for first when they want to travel between Dhaka and Chittagong in comfort. That kind of longevity on Bangladesh Railway’s most competitive corridor is not luck — it is consistency. The schedule is reliable, the coaches are among the newest on the network, and the near non-stop format still makes it one of the fastest regular services on this run.
Book at eticket.railway.gov.bd. Window opens 10 days before travel at 8:00 AM. Track live: ‘TR 702’ or ‘TR 701’ to 16318.
