The Sundarban Express (Train 759 Dhaka–Khulna; Train 760 Khulna–Dhaka) is the premier intercity service on the Dhaka–Khulna corridor, named after the Sundarbans — the world's largest mangrove forest and a UNESCO World Heritage Site straddling the border between Bangladesh and India. This train is your starting point for one of Bangladesh's greatest nature adventures.
The outbound service (Train 759) departs Dhaka Kamalapur in the early morning and arrives in Khulna approximately 8–9 hours later, passing through Jessore and other southwestern cities. The return (Train 760) departs Khulna in the morning, arriving in Dhaka by afternoon. Both services offer Snigdha (AC chair), AC Berth, Shovan Chair, and Shovan class options.
Why travel Dhaka–Khulna by train rather than bus? The rail journey offers superior comfort, especially on longer distances, and the Snigdha class provides AC seating that makes 8–9 hours manageable. Buses on this route are faster but use the Padma Bridge highway — which, while significantly faster since the bridge opened in 2022, can be uncomfortable and heavier in traffic. For a leisure trip to the Sundarbans, the train journey itself is part of the experience — passing through the wide deltaic plains of Bangladesh's southwest.
Planning your Sundarbans trip from Khulna: Sundarbans tour operators concentrate in Khulna near the Rupa/Bhairab riverbank launch terminal. One-day trips to the outer buffer zone are possible but two-night, three-day packages going deeper into the tiger reserve offer the best wildlife visibility. October to March is the peak season for Sundarbans tours — weather is drier, tides are lower, and wildlife is more active. The core zone requires a guide and forest department permit.
Nearby: Bagerhat's Mosque City (Shait Gumbaz Mosque — 60 Dome Mosque), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is 50 km from Khulna and easily accessible by local transport. This 15th-century mosque complex is one of the finest examples of Sultanate-era Bengali architecture.