Ranchi to get 25 new trains soon! Vande Bharat, superfast and MEMU services among the key proposals

The Ranchi Railway Division has drawn up a roadmap to introduce around 25 new train services — covering long-distance Superfast and Express trains, Vande Bharat, Amrit Bharat and regional MEMU services to cater to rising passenger demand, industrial growth and increasing rail traffic.

Railway officials have identified a critical gap — direct connections with most of southern, western and northern India are still missing from Ranchi. Demand is rising for direct trains to Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Bhopal, Indore, Nagpur and Surat.

Better rail connectivity to Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Lucknow and Varanasi is also being planned under the division — recognising the growing demand for convenient travel to major religious and educational destinations from Jharkhand's capital city.

The proposal includes additional Vande Bharat Express services connecting Ranchi with Bhubaneswar, Tatanagar and a second Patna service. The strong passenger response to the existing Ranchi-Varanasi Vande Bharat has strengthened the case for introducing more semi-high-speed trains.

Beyond long-distance trains, new MEMU services or increased frequency is being considered on Ranchi-Lohardaga, Ranchi-Tori, Hatia-Barkakana, Ranchi-Bokaro-Dhanbad and Ranchi-Muri routes — expected to benefit thousands of daily commuters travelling for work, education and business.

The ₹7,536 crore allocation for Jharkhand in the 2026-27 Railway Budget is expected to provide a major boost to rail infrastructure in the state. Work is currently underway on third and fourth railway lines between Ranchi and Hatia, station redevelopment and capacity enhancement works.

Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth has already met Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, requesting direct train services from Ranchi to major cities. "New trains will begin operating in the next few years," Seth confirmed — though the Railway Board and SE Railway Headquarters will take the final call.