Eastern Railway has introduced premium floral comforters in the First AC coaches of the Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express from October 11, 2026The comforters will replace regular blankets and be washed and sanitised after every round trip to improve passenger comfort and hygiene during travel.
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Indian Railways’ Durga Puja gift for Rajdhani passengers: Floral comforters to replace regular blankets in first AC, check details (Image: @EasternRailway)
Passengers travelling in the First AC coaches of the Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express will get floral comforters instead of the regular blankets from October 11, 2026Eastern Railway has introduced the new bedding arrangement to make long-distance journeys more comfortable and improve the travel experience during the Durga Puja festive season.
The railway zone announced the initiative on its official X accountThe new comforters are intended to add a fresh look to the First AC coaches while giving passengers a more comfortable place to rest during their journey.
Eastern Railway said the change is part of its efforts to improve passenger facilities and maintain better hygiene on trains.
Floral comforters to be cleaned after every round trip
Eastern Railway has said that the new floral comforters will be washed and sanitised after every round tripThis is aimed at ensuring that passengers receive clean bedding and have a more pleasant travel experience.
The move also brings attention to an issue that railway passengers have raised for years: the cleanliness of blankets provided in AC coaches.
Bedsheets and pillow covers are generally changed for new passengers, but blankets have traditionally followed a different cleaning scheduleThis has led to concerns about whether blankets are sufficiently clean for every passenger.
Indian Railways Previously Introduced Blanket Covers
In an earlier effort to address hygiene concerns, the Ministry of Railways introduced a pilot programme for covered blankets in AC coachesThe idea was to provide a clean cover for each passenger, helping reduce direct contact with the blanket itself.
The new floral comforters on the Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express are another step towards improving the onboard experienceRegular washing and sanitisation will be important in ensuring that the initiative delivers its intended benefits.
However, the floral comforter facility has been announced specifically for First AC passengers on this trainEastern Railway’s announcement does not indicate that the same arrangement will be introduced across all trains or AC classes.
Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express: A brief history
The Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, also known as the Kolkata Rajdhani Express, connects Howrah in Kolkata with New DelhiIt holds a special place in Indian Railways history as the country’s first Rajdhani ExpressThe train began its maiden journey on March 3, 1969.
Over the years, the train has undergone several changes, including upgrades to its coaches and onboard facilitiesIt now operates with modern Linke-Hofmann-Busch (LHB) coaches designed to improve passenger comfort and safety.
The service runs under different train numbers depending on its routeTrain numbers 12301 and 12302 operate via Gaya, while 12305 and 12306 operate via Patna.
The introduction of floral comforters is the latest addition to the train’s passenger facilitiesFor now, the new bedding arrangement is limited to First AC coaches, and no wider rollout across other trains or classes has been confirmed.
