All Jan Shatabdi Express Trains

The Jan Shatabdi Express was introduced in 2002 as an affordable counterpart to the Shatabdi: the same fast, same-day, chair-car pattern, but with most of the train given over to non-air-conditioned second seating so that the fare comes within reach of ordinary travellers. Jan means people, and the name is meant literally.

There are forty such services in the reservation system, more than the Shatabdi fleet itself. They are also among the most commonly mislisted trains on the internet, because the reservation system writes the name both as "JAN SHATABDI" and as "JANSHATABDI" without a space, and a list that matches only the first spelling misses four fifths of them. All forty are below.

On speed: the figures in the table are average speeds across the whole journey, halts included, worked out from the published schedule. Most Jan Shatabdi services are cleared for 110 to 130 km/h depending on the section.

By the late 1990s the Shatabdi had proved that fast intercity day travel worked, but its fully air-conditioned, catering-inclusive fare put it out of reach for most passengers on the same routes. The Jan Shatabdi kept the timings and the reserved chair-car format and changed the economics: a couple of AC Chair Car coaches for those who want them, and the rest of the rake as second seating at a fraction of the price.

The result is a train that does something no other category quite does. It is fast and fully reserved, so you are guaranteed a seat and a predictable arrival, but it costs closer to an ordinary express than to a premium service.

Accommodation is AC Chair Car and Second Seating, both reserved. Catering is not included in the fare, unlike a Shatabdi; food is bought on board or at halts. The coaches are ordinary reserved seating stock rather than premium rakes, and on newer services LHB coaches have replaced the older ones.

Routes are short to medium, typically connecting a state capital or major junction with cities three to eight hours away, which the distance column below shows clearly.

If comfort and included meals matter more than fare, take the Shatabdi where one runs. If you want a reserved seat on a fast day train and would rather not pay premium prices, the Jan Shatabdi is usually the better value, and on many corridors it is the only fast reserved day service there is.

Vacant seats?

See which berths fall empty on these trains once the reservation chart is prepared.

Full schedule

Station-by-station timings, halts and running days for any train in this list.