In July 2023, the final batch of stainless-steel broad-gauge passenger coaches supplied by CRRC Tangshan arrived in Bangladesh, completing delivery of all 100 coaches for the Padma Bridge Rail Link project. Lurail participated in the project as a supplier of onboard kitchen equipment, providing catering equipment for the dining cars and related kitchen applications across the fleet.

Project Delivery

The project contract was signed in May 2021, with production beginning in August of the same year. The first 15 coaches were shipped from Tianjin Port in November 2022, followed by subsequent deliveries to Chittagong. By July 2023, all 100 coaches had been delivered.

Designed for Local Operating Conditions

The vehicles were developed for Bangladesh's broad-gauge railway network, with a track gauge of 1,676 mm and a maximum operating speed of 120 km/h.

The fleet includes five vehicle types:

    •  15 air-conditioned sleeper cars.

    •  35 air-conditioned seating cars.

    •  25 non-air-conditioned seating cars.

    •  15 non-air-conditioned dining cars with guard compartments.

    •  10 non-air-conditioned power cars with guard compartments.

Lurail developed and supplied kitchen equipment for the dining-car applications, taking into account local catering practices as well as the high-temperature, high-humidity operating environment. The kitchen systems included equipment and functions for cooking, storage, water treatment, and fume extraction.

In Passenger Service

By July 2023, 59 coaches had completed dynamic testing, with 44 already in commercial operation.

The vehicles have been deployed on several passenger services in Bangladesh, while the Dhaka–Bhanga section of the Padma Bridge Rail Link officially opened in October 2023.

For Lurail, participation in the project represents an important example of applying its railway catering and system-integration capabilities to an international rail programme.