Nandan Kanan Express

The 12815 / 12816 Nandan Kanan Express is an Express train belonging to Indian Railways East Coast Railway zone that runs between Puri and Anand Vihar Terminal in India.

It operates as train number 12815 from Puri to Anand Vihar Terminal and as train number 12816 in the reverse direction, serving the states of Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi.

Background
This train is named after the Nandankanan Zoological Park, a 400 ha zoo and botanical garden in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. Established in 1960, it was opened to the public in 1979 and became the first zoo in India to join World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) in 2009. It also contains a botanical garden and part of it has been declared a sanctuary. Nandankanan, literally meaning The Garden of Heaven, is located near the capital city, Bhubaneswar, in the environs of the Chandaka forest, and includes the 134 acre Kanjia lake.

Coaches
The 12815 / 12816 Nandan Kanan Express has 1 AC First Class, 2 AC 2 Tier, 6 AC 3-tier, 7 sleeper class, 2 General unreserved, 1 Divyangjan Coach and 1 EOG (Generator cum brake van). It carries a pantry car.

As is customary with most train services in India, coach composition may be amended at the discretion of Indian Railways depending on demand.

Service
The 12815 Puri–Anand Vihar Terminal Nandan Kanan Express covers the distance of 1797 km in 30 hours 10 mins (60 km/h) and in 29 hours 40 mins as the 12816 Anand Vihar Terminal–Puri Nandan Kanan Express (61 km/h).

As the average speed of the train is slightly above 55 km/h, as per railway rules, its fare includes a Superfast surcharge.

This Train runs from New Delhi till May 2018 but changed to Anand Vihar Terminal instead of New Delhi.

Routing
The 12815 / 16 Nandan Kanan Express runs from Puri via Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Balasore, Hijli, Bankura Junction, Adra Junction, Gomoh Junction, Gaya Junction, Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyay Junction, Allahabad Junction, Kanpur Central, to Anand Vihar Terminal.

Traction
As the route is fully electrified, a Ghaziabad based WAP-7 locomotive powers the train from Puri to Anand Vihar Terminal.