20897 Vande Bharat Express: Howrah to Ranchi

20897 time table

The full Vande Bharat Express 20897 time table, from Howrah Jn to Ranchi. Day 1 is the day the train leaves Howrah.

These are scheduled times, checked on 11 November 2026 against two independent timetable sources. On the day you travel, the live times on NTES take priority.

20897 route and stops

20897 stops at 6 stations between Howrah and Ranchi: Kharagpur, Tatanagar, Chandil, Purulia, Kotshila, Muri. Leaving Howrah at 14:35, 20897 runs 116 km to Kharagpur, arriving at 16:06 after 1 h 31 min. From Kharagpur it covers 134 km to Tatanagar in 1 h 37 min, arriving at 17:45. From Tatanagar it covers 36 km to Chandil in 0 h 44 min, arriving at 18:34. From Chandil it covers 54 km to Purulia in 0 h 48 min, arriving at 19:23. From Purulia it covers 36 km to Kotshila in 0 h 39 min, arriving at 20:04. From Kotshila it covers 24 km to Muri in 0 h 20 min, arriving at 20:25. The last stretch, 62 km from Muri, takes 1 h 33 min and ends at Ranchi at 22:00.

Over the whole 462 km the average speed is about 62 km/h, including stops. The fastest stretch is Kharagpur to Tatanagar, 134 km at an average of about 83 km/h, and the longest run without a stop is Kharagpur to Tatanagar, 134 km. In all, the train stands at stations for about 13 minutes; the longest halt is 5 minutes at Tatanagar. Compare it with other trains in Vande Bharat speed.

20897 running status

This page shows the scheduled timetable; it does not track 20897 live. To see where 20897 is now and how late it is running:

1. Open the official NTES running status page or the NTES app.
2. Enter the train number, 20897.
3. Choose the date the train left Howrah.
4. NTES shows the last station passed, the expected time at each stop and any delay.

If 20897 runs more than 3 hours late and you decide not to travel, you are entitled to a full refund; see Vande Bharat TDR and late train refund.

20897 running days

20897 runs six days a week and does not run on Tuesday. The running day is the day the train leaves Howrah. The return train 20898 does not run on Tuesday either. Check any date with the running days checker.

20897 fare

IRCTC shows the fare for your exact stations and class when you search for 20897, and you can see it without logging in. The fare includes the base fare, reservation and superfast charges, GST and the meal, unless you choose No Food. On the Vande Bharat Express routes we have checked, full-route fares were ₹1,385 to ₹1,835 in CC and ₹2,505 to ₹3,385 in EC on 11 November 2026. See Vande Bharat ticket price for each route.

How to book 20897

Book 20897 on IRCTC, the official Indian Railways booking service, or at a reservation counter. Search HWH to RNC, or any pair of stations on its route, and pick CC or EC.

• Booking opens 60 days before the journey at 08:00 IST, counted from the day 20897 leaves Howrah.
• Tatkal: opens at 10:00 IST the day before the train leaves Howrah.
• First chart: prepared by 04:35 on the day of departure, for a 14:35 departure from Howrah. The final chart is made at least 30 minutes before departure.
• Platform: not fixed in advance. It is announced at the station on the day; check the display boards or NTES.

Step-by-step help is in the Vande Bharat booking guide.

20897 cancellation deadlines

Cancellation charges depend on how long before 20897 leaves Howrah at 14:35 you cancel a confirmed ticket. Under the 72, 24 and 8-hour bands announced in March 2026, you pay only the flat charge (₹189 in CC, ₹252 in EC, with GST) until 14:35 three days before, 25% of the fare until 14:35 the day before, 50% until 06:35 on the day of departure, and nothing comes back after that. IRCTC's published rules still use 48, 12 and 4 hours, which for 20897 fall at 14:35 two days before, 02:35 on the day of departure and 10:35 on the day of departure. Details are in Vande Bharat cancellation charges.

20897 coach position and classes

20897 has AC Chair Car (CC) and Executive Chair Car (EC) seats. A Vande Bharat Express Chair Car train has 8, 16 or 20 coaches: CC coaches seat 78 in a 3+2 layout (44 in the driving coach at each end), and EC coaches seat 52 in a 2+2 layout with rotating seats. Indian Railways does not publish a fixed coach order for each train, so check the coach guidance boards on the platform or the RailOne app for where your coach will stop. See the Vande Bharat seat map.

Food on 20897

Meals on 20897 are optional. You choose a meal or No Food when you book on IRCTC, and the fare changes to match. Which meals you get depends on the time of day the train runs. See Vande Bharat food.

Return train 20898

20898 runs the other way, from Ranchi at 06:00 to Howrah at 13:10, in 7 h 10 min, and does not run on Tuesday. Together, 20897 and 20898 make the Howrah–Ranchi Vande Bharat Express pair.

All Vande Bharat trains and their timings are in the Vande Bharat train timings list, and every route in the route list.

20897 Vande Bharat FAQs

What is the departure time of 20897?
20897 leaves Howrah Jn (HWH) at 14:35.

What time does 20897 reach Ranchi?
20897 reaches Ranchi (RNC) at 22:00, after 7 h 25 min.

How can I check the running status of 20897?
On NTES, the official National Train Enquiry System: enter 20897 and the date the train left Howrah to see where it is and any delay.

On which days does 20897 run?
Every day except Tuesday, counted from its departure from Howrah.

How many stops does 20897 have?
6 stops between Howrah and Ranchi: Kharagpur, Tatanagar, Chandil, Purulia, Kotshila, Muri.

When is the chart prepared for 20897?
The first chart is prepared by 04:35 on the day of departure, and the final chart at least 30 minutes before the 14:35 departure.

What is the platform number of 20897?
It is not fixed in advance. The platform is announced at Howrah on the day; check the station display boards or NTES.

What is the return train of 20897?
20898, from Ranchi at 06:00 to Howrah at 13:10.

Sources

Timetable: erail.in and ConfirmTkt, both checked on 11 November 2026; live running: NTES. Booking and cancellation rules: IRCTC and the Ministry of Railways. Report a correction.