A week after its launch, the prestigious AC AP Express (Visakhapatnam-New Delhi-Visakhapatnam) is receiving accolades from passengers. “Clean coaches, good food, and comfortable journey” are some of the words used by the passengers to describe their experience on the new train.
“The journey was comfortable and we had a pleasant time,” said Mylavarapu Raja of Visakhapatnam, who came from New Delhi along with his family by Train No. 22416 on Tuesday evening.
Ravi Kumar of Srikakulam, who also came from New Delhi, appreciated the quality of the food served on the train. He, however, felt that the long journey time of 36 hours could be reduced by at least six hours. “This is a very nice train and it is very clean. My only suggestion is that it should be run daily,” said Sister Srikala of Visakhapatnam, who has now shifted to Delhi. “ Ab nayi gadi hai, thodi dino mein full ho jayegi (now it’s a new train, it will soon run to full capacity),” said Shiv Lakhan of Delhi, who was to board Train No. 22415 minutes before it left Platform No. 8 on Wednesday morning.
Passengers are also considering the train convenient to travel to Rajahmundry and Vijayawada.
“I am going for the first time by this train to Rajahmundry,” said Srinivas, a service engineer of Maruti Suzuki, who seemed visibly happy to see the spick and span coaches. The ‘complete AC’ train from the largest city in Andhra Pradesh to the national capital is, however, yet to catch the fancy of the travelling public.
A little over a quarter of the 504 III-AC berths on Train No. 22415 were booked from the starting point on Wednesday. The train halts at Duvvada, which is within the limits of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, and Anakapalle, which is on the fringes of the GVMC, and many more stations in Andhra Pradesh, and the vacant berths can be utilised by passengers from those places. “The response is good, considering that the train was launched at short notice. This is ‘off-season’, and many trains are running with a number of vacant berths. The demand for this train will pick up during the ensuing Dasara and Pongal seasons,” feel passengers.
