Raigarh–Hazrat Nizamuddin Gondwana Express

The 12409 / 12410 Raigarh–Hazrat Nizamuddin Gondwana Express is a Superfast Express train belonging to Indian Railways that runs between Raigarh and Hazrat Nizamuddin in India. It is a 5-day service. It operates as train number 12409 from Raigarh to Hazrat Nizamuddin and as train number 12410 in the reverse direction.

Coaches
The 12409/12410 Raigarh–Hazrat Nizamuddin Gondwana Express presently has 1 AC 2 tier, 2 AC 3 tier, 13 Sleeper class & 5 General Unreserved coaches.

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

Service
The 12409 Raigarh–Hazrat Nizamuddin Gondwana Express covers the distance of 1626 kilometers in 27 hours and 55 mins (58.24 km/h) and 27 hours 40 mins as 12410 Nizamuddin–Raigarh Gondwana Express (58.77 km/h).

As its average speed in both directions is above 55 km/h as per Indian Railways rules, its fare has a Superfast surcharge. In addition, it gets priority over local (commuter) trains, standard express, passenger trains and most freight trains.



Traction
It is hauled by a Tughlakabad Loco Shed-based WAP-7 electric locomotive on its entire journey.

Route and halts

 * Raigarh
 * Kharsia
 * Champa
 * Akaltara
 * Bilaspur Junction
 * Bhatapara
 * Tilda Newra
 * Raipur Junction
 * Durg Junction
 * Rajnandgaon
 * Dongargarh
 * Gondia Junction
 * Tumsar Road
 * Nagpur Junction
 * Amla Junction
 * Itarsi Junction
 * Hoshangabad
 * Bhopal Junction
 * Bina Junction
 * Lalitpur Junction
 * Virangana Lakshmibai Junction
 * Agra Cantonment
 * Mathura Junction
 * Hazrat Nizamuddin

Rake sharing
The train shares its rake with 12405/12406 Bhusaval–Hazrat Nizamuddin Gondwana Express.

Bombs on the train
In January 2015, a bag containing eight crude bombs was discovered in Gondwana Express, after a train ticket checker noticed it around 3PM. The train was halted at Sihora Road Station, the low intensity bombs were defused, after which the journey was resumed. Later, a 40 year old engineer Vineet Kumar from Bihar was held for planting these bombs.

Train running status
Gondwana Express has a history of being delayed regularly by a few hours. Once the train was delayed by 17 hours during a fog that hit Bhopal in December 2016.