Sealdah Railway Station
Explore Sealdah Station (SDAH), one of India's largest, busiest, and most historic railway junctions. This guide details platform allocations, sitemap listings, history since 1862, modern metro lines, and station services.
Station Fast Facts
Platform Allocation Map
Select a terminal division or search your route to find departure platforms.
Platforms 1 to 5
Mainly handles suburban local trains (EMU) heading towards the northern districts, border checkpoints like Gede, and the railway junctions of Naihati and Bandel.
Platforms 6 to 14
Handles long-distance mail, express, Duronto, and Rajdhani services connecting Kolkata to northern, western, and eastern parts of India.
Platforms 15 to 21
Dedicated entirely to the southern suburban commuter networks, extending to the Sundarbans at Canning and southern-most coastal points.
Historical Timeline
Tracing the lineage of Sealdah Railway Station from a 19th-century colonial tin-roofed shed to one of India's largest and most active railway terminals.
Eastern Bengal Railway Registered
The Eastern Bengal Railway Company is registered in London to build a rail network connecting Calcutta with the undivided eastern parts of Bengal.
First Train Operations Begin
Operations start with 4 basic platforms covered by a simple tin-roofed shed. Trains connect Calcutta with Champahati, Port Canning, and Ranaghat.
First Permanent Station Building
The station building is officially constructed. Designed by the architect Mr. Walter Glanville, establishing Sealdah as a major terminal infrastructure.
Trams Integration
Kolkata's first horse-drawn tram service begins operating from Sealdah Station to Armenian Ghat. The tram loop was demolished in 1981 to construct the Sealdah Flyover.
Partition of India
Partition disrupts direct rail connectivity with East Bengal (now Bangladesh). Lines are truncated at the border points (Gede and Bongaon).
Station Electrification
Electric train operations (EMU) are introduced, replacing coal-fired steam engines. This sparks a massive surge in suburban commuter volumes.
Metro & Transit Integration
Sealdah Metro Station
The state-of-the-art underground Sealdah Metro Station is built directly adjacent to the main railway station, providing seamless indoor interchange between suburban local trains and the Kolkata Metro Green Line (East-West corridor).
The metro station features a unique circular entrance structure. This replaces the old tram loop that operated on the site until 1981, allowing commuters to travel quickly towards Salt Lake Sector V and Esplanade.
Local Buses & Taxis
Sealdah is one of the key road transport junctions of Kolkata. A dedicated pre-paid taxi stand is located outside the reservation building, operating 24/7.
Dozens of state and private bus routes depart from the station exit doors and from the Sealdah Flyover stops. You can view the full bus routes on our dedicated Bus Routes Directory.
Passenger Amenities & Facilities
Executive Lounge
Opened by IRCTC in 2019. Spans 2,500 sq ft, offering air-conditioned resting bays, clean showers, dining buffets, and newspapers. Accessible via elevator.
Free Wi-Fi
Equipped with Google RailWire high-speed fiber internet. Commuters can connect for free across all 21 platforms and waiting rooms for instant ticketing and browsing.
Food Courts
Contains numerous popular catering stalls and multi-cuisine hubs like Jan-Ahaar, Haldirams, Mio Amore bakery, and Wow! Momo outlets located in the main ticketing area.
Amazon Pickup Kiosk
Amazon India operates a dedicated self-service pickup locker kiosk in the non-ticketing zone. Enables travelers to pick up orders while transiting the station.
Electric Loco Shed, Sealdah (SDAD)
The station houses a specialized Electric Locomotive Shed that plays a vital role in maintaining the high-power traction engines for long-distance mail and express lines. The shed holds a dedicated roster of high-speed passenger locomotives.
Additionally, the adjacent Beliaghata Diesel Loco Shed (BGA) maintains diesel shunting locomotives (type WDS-6) for yard shunting and carriage sorting.
| Locomotive Class | Horsepower | Active Roster (as of May 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| WAP-7 Electric Locomotive | 6,350 HP | 46 active locos |
| Total active roster | 46 locomotives | |
Major Originating Trains
Roster of major long-distance superfast expresses, Durontos, and Rajdhanis originating directly from Sealdah Station (SDAH).