PATNA JUNCTION
Indian Railwaysjunction station
Patna Junction
General information
Location	Station Road, NearMahavir Mandir,Patna- 800001Bihar  India
Coordinates	25°36′10″N85°8′15″E / 25.60278°N 85.13750°E /25.60278; 85.13750
Elevation	57 metres (187 ft)
Owned by	Indian Railways
Operated by	East Central Railway
Line(s)	Howrah–Delhi main line Patna–Sonepur–Hajipur section Asansol–Patna section Patna–Mughalsarai section Patna–Gaya line Patna - Chhapra Line
Platforms	10[1]
Tracks	15
Connections	Auto stand, bus stand, cab zone
Construction
Structure type	Standard (on-ground station)
Parking	Available
Bicycle facilities	Not available
Accessible	Available
Other information
Status	Functional
Station code	PNBE
Zone(s)	East Central Railway
Division(s)	Danapur
Classification	NSG-1
Website	www.irctc.co.in/nget/train-search
History
Opened	25 December 1862; 162 years ago (1862-12-25)[2]
Rebuilt	2002; 23 years ago (2002) Waiting hall 2019; 6 years ago (2019)
Electrified	2003–2004; 21 years ago (2004)[3]
Previous names	Bankipore Junction
Passengers
2022	26.4 lakhs per day[4] (high)
Services East Central Railway Preceding station Indian Railways Following station Sachiwalay Halt towards ? Digha, Patna TowardsGanga Rail–Road Bridge (Hajipur⬅Sonepur➡Chhapra) Rajendra Nagar Terminal towards ? Patna–Mughalsarai section TowardsDanapur/Patliputra Parsa Bazar towards ? Patna–Gaya line Towards Jehanabad
Other services
Route map v t e Railways in Patna Legend km to Howrah–Delhi main line Patna–Mughalsarai section Koilwar Bridge acrossSone river Ganges Bhojpur district Patna district 30 Pali A (halt) 27 Bihta Bihta AFS 15 Neora 10 Danapur 12 Patliputra Junction Digha–Sonpur Bridge to North Bihar 6 Phulwari Sharif JPNI Airport 8 Digha Ghat/FCI Godown 2 Sachivalay Halt Patna–Gaya line 6 Parsa Bazar (halt) 0 Patna Junction 3 Rajendra Nagar Terminal 7 Gulzarbagh 10 Patna Sahib 13 Deedarganj (halt) 22 Fatuha Junction Fatuha–Tilaiya line to Hilsa/Islampur 32 Daniyawan Bazar Halt 30 Kushroopur (halt) 45 Bakhtiyarpur Junction Bakhtiyarpur–Tilaiya line to Bihar Sharif Rajgir 63 Barh 89 Mokama Junction 101 Rampur Dumra halt Patna district Begusarai district to Howrah–Delhi main line Asansol–Patna section v t e Howrah–Delhi main line Legend km 0 New Delhi Yamuna Delhi Uttar Pradesh border Kanpur–Delhi section 131 Aligarh 210 Tundla 301 Etawah 441 Kanpur Central Mughalsarai–Kanpur section 635 Allahabad Howrah–Allahabad–Mumbai line 786 Mughalsarai Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line Patna–Mughalsarai section Uttar Pradesh Bihar border 881 Buxar 950 Ara Son River 990 Danapur Patna–Gaya line 999 Patna Punpun River Asansol–Patna section 1,044 Bakhtiyarpur Bakhtiyarpur–Tilaiya line 1,063 Barh 1,088 Mokama Mokama–Barauni section Gaya–Kiul line 1,123 Kiul Sahibganj loop 1,150 Jamui 1,176 Jhajha Bihar Jharkhand border 1,220 Jasidih Jasidih–Dumka–Rampurhat line Ajay River Madhupur–Giridih–Koderma line 1,249 Madhupur 1305 Chittaranjan Jharkhand West Bengal border Howrah–Gaya–Delhi line Asansol–Tatanagar–Kharagpur line 1,330 Asansol Bardhaman–Asansol section 1,373 Durgapur 1,437 Barddhaman Howrah–Bardhaman chord 1,532 Howrah km Sources:   Google maps India Rail Info[5]
Location Patna Junction Location with Patna Show map of India Patna Junction Patna Junction (Bihar) Show map of Bihar Patna Junction Patna Junction (Patna) Show map of Patna Interactive map

Patna Junction (station codePNBE) is a major railway station in the capital city ofPatna in the Indian state ofBihar.^[6] It is the main railway station serving Patna. It falls under theDanapur division of theEast Central Railway zone of theIndian Railways. Patna Junction is one of the busiest railway stations of the country.^[7]

Patna Junction railway station is connected to most of the major cities in India by the railway network. The city is a major railway hub and has five major stations: Patna Junction,Rajendranagar Terminal,Danapur railway station,Patliputra Junction andPatna Sahib station. Also 2 major railway station:Hajipur Junction andSonpur Junction are just at a distance of 20 km from Patna. Patna is well connected with Ara, Gaya, Jehanabad, Biharsharif, Rajgir, Islampur, Sonpur, Hajipur, Muzaffarpur, Chhapra through daily passenger and express train services.

Patna Junction railway station was opened in 1862 as Bankipore Junction^[8] inBankipore (Bankipur) town, headquarters of the division and Patna district inBengal,British India.^[9] The construction of railway line through Patna was started in 1855 and was completed and opened in 1862.^[10] Prior to that the transport of raw materials and finished goods was done through theGanga river.^[2] The Danapur Division came into existence on 1 January 1925. The present Divisional Railway Managers' office building was built in 1929.^[11]

In 1948 Eastern Railway (ER) started an exclusively third class express train known as 'Janta Express' on 1 October 1948. This initially ran between Patna and Delhi and later on was extended from Delhi up to Howrah in 1949. This was the first Janta Express train in India.^[12]

In 2002 extensive redevelopment took place.^[13] The number of platform was increased from 7 to 10. A new floor was constructed in the main station building.^[13] The platforms are interconnected with threefoot overbridges (FOB). The western overbridge is called the Delhi end FOB and the easternmost FOB is called Kolkata end FOB.^[14]

At the Rajendra Nagar Terminal and Patna Junction routerelay interlocking (RRI) system were installed between 7 February 2012 till 12 February. The presence of RRI system allows computer operated change of tracks for running trains.^[15] The presence of RRT system improves the safety of the railway traffic in the region.^[1]

The new station façade put up in 2018-19 was designed byNational Institute of Technology, Patna.^[16] There have been other efforts as well to add cultural depictions and artwork in the station.^[17][18]

Mahatma Gandhi came to Patna for the first time on 10 April 1917. At that time he reached Patna from Kolkata in a third class train, then Patna Junction was called Bankipur Junction.

Facilities include mechanised cleaning, free RO mineral water, waiting rooms, retiring rooms, refreshment rooms for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians, food and tea stalls, book stalls, vehicle parking etc.^[13] It has a computerised reservation facility.^[19] Vehicles are allowed to enter the station premises. During the COVID-19 pandemic, an automated Mask and Sanitizer Dispenser (MSD) machine was installed.^[20] There is a post and telegraphic office and Government Railway Police (GRP) office.^[21][22] Patna Junction is located close to the bus terminal and domestic airport providing transport to important destinations of Bihar.^[21] There is second exit point fromKarbigahiya end of the Patna Junction.Karbigahiya is located on the south side of Patna Junction and serves as direct access point for platforms of the railway station.^[23][24]

To modernise the train inquiry system a call centre was opened in 2005.^[25] Automatic ticket vending machines have been installed to reduce the queue for train tickets on the station.^[26] One of the two departmental catering units ofDanapur division are located at Patna Junction, the other being atKiul Junction.^[27] Patna Junction is going to have ametro station underPatna Metro.^[28][29] There are a number of escalators.^[30][31]

Indian Railways, under its station redevelopment and beautification initiative, renovated and beautified the waiting hall which opened in 2019.^[32] It has been set up over an area of 7500 sq ft, providing seating capacity for over 300 passengers.^[33] Additionally 200 more seats are planned. The newly opened waiting hall is said to be largest waiting hall in the Indian Railways network. The new waiting hall has been provided with 7 HD screens of 65" displaying entertainment related content as well as train information 24*7.^[33] The walls of the waiting hall has been beautified to promote local art with all the walls being covered inMadhubani painting with bright and attractive colours.^[33] For the convenience of the passengers the entire waiting hall has been centrally air-conditioned. The waiting hall has also been provided with additional fans and lighted with 100 percent LED fixtures concealed in the ceiling. The station has lactation room for mothers so that the lactating mothers will be able to comfortably feed their babies in privacy.^[34] The railway station has already been fitted with high-speed wireless internet service for passengers to enjoy free Wi-Fi facility.^[34] It was the first station in India to try out linen kiosks.^[35]Indian Railways is soon going to construct Suburban Rail Terminal atHardinge Park which is barely 900 metres west from Patna Junction.^[36][37]

Patna Junction railway station is a major station of the East Central Railways. Its location on the Delhi–Kolkata rail route, makes Patna Junction served by several Express and Superfast trains.^[21]

In 2009, the construction ofDigha–Sonpur Bridge, was underway on the banks on the Ganges nearby, connected Patna toPahleja Ghat. The railway part of bridge was opened to rail traffic from 3 February 2016 and railway started passenger service from Patliputra Junction to various railway stations on north side of Ganges in Bihar.^[38][39][40]

• 
  Platforms 4 to 1 in Patna Junction.
• 
  A passenger train standing on platform 3 in Patna Junction.
• 
  12273 Howrah-New Delhi Duronto Express standing in Patna Junction
• 
  AWDP-4B class locomotive at Patna

The nearest airports to Patna Junction are:^{[citation needed]}

1. Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Airport, Patna 5 kilometres (3.1 mi)
2. Gaya Airport 108 kilometres (67 mi)
3. Darbhanga Airport 138 kilometres (86 mi)

• Patna Junction was one of the filming locations for theBollywood movieHalf Girlfriend.^[41]

• Patna Metro

Patna travel guide from Wikivoyage

Wikimedia Commons has media related toPatna Junction railway station.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide forPatna.

• Patna Junction Map
• Official website of the Patna district

• Railway stations in India opened in 1862
• Danapur railway division
• Railway stations in Patna
• Railway junction stations in Bihar
• Indian Railway A1 Category Stations

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