The Dhaka–Chittagong rail corridor is Bangladesh's busiest and most commercially important railway route, covering approximately 320 kilometres between the capital and the port city. With multiple daily services and a range of seat classes, travelling from Dhaka to Chittagong by train is one of the most practical, comfortable, and scenic ways to make this journey.
The best trains on this route are Subarna Express (Train 701, daytime), Turna Express (Train 741, overnight), Mohanagar Godhuli (Train 703, evening), and Mohanagar Provati (Train 704, morning). For daytime comfort with air conditioning, Subarna Express is the gold standard. For overnight travel, Turna Express with its AC Berth class allows you to sleep through the journey and arrive fresh.
Seat class options on the Dhaka–Chittagong route: Snigdha (AC chair, approximately 480–650 taka), AC Berth (sleeping, 800–1100 taka), Shovan Chair (non-AC numbered seat, 100–360 taka), and Shovan (bench seat, lower cost). For journeys of 6–7 hours, Snigdha or Shovan Chair are the most practical choices for daytime travel.
How to book tickets: Use eticket.railway.gov.bd for online purchase. Select Dhaka (Kamalapur or Airport) as departure and Chittagong as destination. Tickets open 10 days in advance. For Subarna Express Snigdha class, book as soon as the window opens — it sells out within hours on busy days. Alternatively, buy counter tickets at Kamalapur station from 8 AM daily.
Top tips for Dhaka–Chittagong train travel: (1) Arrive at Kamalapur Railway Station at least 30 minutes before departure. (2) Check your platform number on the main departure board — Kamalapur has multiple platforms. (3) Bring your NID or the purchase phone/email receipt when collecting physical tickets. (4) Track the train in real-time by sending "tr 701" (or the train number) to 16318. (5) Comilla is a major intermediate stop at roughly the midpoint — a good opportunity to stretch legs.
The journey from Dhaka to Chittagong by train passes through paddy fields, river plains, and the industrial zones of Comilla and Feni. Window seats on the right side of the train (when travelling from Dhaka) offer better views of the countryside. The Chittagong station is at Chawk Bazar — from there, CNGs and ride-sharing services connect to all parts of the city including Agrabad, GEC, and Nasirabad.