Cox’s Bazar rail route earns Tk59cr from 9.9 lakh tickets

The Chattogram-Cox's Bazar railway has become a profitable route within two years of starting commercial operations, with nearly 10 lakh tickets sold in a year as rising tourist demand pushes Bangladesh Railway to add more trains.

The Cox's Bazar Iconic Railway Station sold 9,89,722 tickets from July 2025 to June 2026, generating Tk59.04 crore in revenue, according to station authorities.

Four pairs of trains currently operate on the route, but railway officials say the capacity is insufficient. The railway officials plan to add another pair of trains, and they are also extending the Dhaka-Chattogram Mahanagar Express to Cox's Bazar.

Railway officials expect the expansion to eventually create capacity to carry 10 lakh passengers a month on the route.

Rising passengers, rising revenue

Commercial operations on the Cox's Bazar railway began on 1 December 2023. The route now has two non-stop intercity trains, Cox's Bazar Express and Tourist Express, running on the Dhaka-Chattogram-Cox's Bazar route, alongside two trains, Probal and Saikat, operating between Chattogram and Cox's Bazar.

Zainal Abedin, station master of Cox's Bazar Railway Station, said the station sold 989,722 tickets between July 2025 and June 2026, earning Tk59,04,02,265.

Monthly figures show consistently strong demand. In July 2025, 84,517 tickets were sold, generating Tk5,10,22,830. In August, 84,054 tickets generated Tk4,94,50,260, while September saw 90,330 tickets sold for Tk4,95,18,067.

In October, 86,797 tickets generated Tk4,94,42,140, while 81,338 tickets in November brought in Tk4,75,25,292. December recorded the highest monthly ticket sales of 96,870, generating Tk5,39,96,372.

In January 2026, 89,193 tickets were sold for Tk5,43,82,218. February saw 50,856 tickets generate Tk3,09,15,266, while March recorded 80,017 tickets and Tk4,91,88,504 in revenue.

In April, 82,004 tickets generated Tk5,17,62,345. May saw 78,606 tickets sold for Tk5,05,43,713, while June recorded 85,140 tickets and Tk5,26,21,958 in revenue.

According to Bangladesh Railway's Eastern Zone, the route has already generated nearly Tk100 crore in total revenue. The Chattogram-Cox's Bazar line has therefore emerged as important not only for meeting growing passenger demand but also for boosting railway revenue.

New train planned to handle passenger pressure

Tourist demand for Cox's Bazar has steadily increased passenger pressure on the route. Despite four pairs of trains, Bangladesh Railway often struggles to accommodate additional passengers during busy periods.

Dhaka Divisional railway manager of the East Zone, Mostafizur Rahman Bhuiya, announced plans to extend several trains operating from Dhaka to Cox's Bazar.

As part of the expansion, the Mahanagar Express, which currently leaves Dhaka for Chattogram at 9:20pm, will be extended to Cox's Bazar instead of terminating in Chattogram.

Mohammad Subuktgin, general manager of the East Zone of Bangladesh Railway, said another train from Dhaka would also be extended to Cox's Bazar.

"The process of purchasing coaches and locomotives is underway. Once these are available, we will arrange a sufficient number of trains so that people from different parts of the country can travel to Cox's Bazar easily," he said.

Plan to increase service to five pairs

On 1 August, State Minister for Railways Habibur Rashid inspected Cox's Bazar Iconic Railway Station and Cox's Bazar-Dohazari railway line.

He said the number of train services would be increased from the existing four pairs to five pairs, with another pair expected to be launched this month.

"Cox's Bazar is a critical destination for the government. We hope to launch another pair of trains within this month," he said.

The state minister also said the Mahanagar train operating from Chattogram would soon be extended to Cox's Bazar and converted into an air-conditioned service.

The government plans to expand rail services to Cox's Bazar further, he said. Although the amount of new railway infrastructure has increased significantly in recent years, there is still a shortage of locomotives compared with demand.

Railway authorities are trying to maximise existing capacity while adding new locomotives to address the shortfall.

Faster and safer than road

The Chattogram-Cox's Bazar road distance is around 159km and takes four to six hours to cover. The 151km railway journey takes about three hours.

Passengers and businesses therefore increasingly view the railway as a faster and safer alternative to road transport.

The railway also avoids several risky bends on the highway, providing comparatively safer travel. Local businesses are calling for more trains on the route.

Abid Ahsan Sagar, spokesperson for the Cox's Bazar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the railway needed more services and trains to become fully effective.

"Increasing the number of trains can also play an important role in reducing road accidents and preventing loss of life," he said.

Target: 10 lakh passengers a month

Bangladesh Railway's preliminary estimates show that several lakh passengers currently travel to Cox's Bazar each month on the two non-stop and two passenger trains.

The introduction of the Mahanagar Express is anticipated to boost this number.

Mohammad Subuktgin said more trains could be added to the route by next year, allowing the railway to reach a target of 10 lakh passengers a month.

The Chattogram-Cox's Bazar railway is showing strong potential in passenger demand, tourism and revenue. Railway officials believe more trains will make rail communication between Cox's Bazar and different parts of the country easier and more efficient while reducing pressure on roads.