Jharkhand’s Scenic Rail Route: Vande Bharat Winds Through Forests and Hills
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared a drone video of a Vande Bharat Express winding through Jharkhand’s forests, hills, tunnels and bridges on the scenic Koderma-Ranchi rail route.
The video shows the orange-coloured Vande Bharat Express emerging from a tunnel and moving through a series of curves, surrounded by dense greenery, hills and water-filled dams. The drone footage captures the railway line passing through the natural landscape of Jharkhand, creating a visual experience reminiscent of scenic rail journeys through Kerala and Goa.
The video was shot by a drone on the Ranchi–Barkakana–Hazaribagh railway line and showcases the natural beauty of Jharkhand. The route between Koderma and Ranchi passes through green forests, high hills and reservoirs, offering a striking combination of natural scenery and railway engineering.
The Koderma–Hazaribagh–Barkakana–Ranchi railway line connects Ranchi with Koderma and passes through some of Jharkhand’s difficult hilly, plateau and forested terrain. The 211-kilometre railway line connects Koderma, Hazaribagh, Ramgarh and Ranchi.
The route passes through Koderma Junction, Barhi, Padma, Hazaribagh Town, Charhi, Mandu, Kuju and Barkakana Junction before continuing through Sidwar, Sanki, Mesra and Tatisilwai to Ranchi Junction.
The Koderma–Ranchi rail line took nearly 10 years to complete. The 80-kilometre Koderma–Hazaribagh section was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 20, 2015. Hazaribagh was connected to the railway network for the first time through this section.
The 57-kilometre Hazaribagh–Barkakana section was inaugurated on December 7, 2016. The 31.4-kilometre Tatisilwai–Sanki section was opened in August 2019.
The 27-kilometre Sidwar–Sanki section was the most complex part of the entire railway line. After a successful trial on November 18, 2022, the Ranchi–Koderma railway line was finally connected through this section, which passes through hills and valleys.
The Sidwar–Sanki section also showcases major railway engineering work in the hilly region. Four major railway tunnels were constructed by cutting through difficult hill terrain. The train passes through 32 winding curves and five major bridges amid valleys and mountains, adding to the scenic character of the journey.
The Patna–Ranchi Vande Bharat Express is the most prominent train operating on this route and began service on June 27, 2023. It travels between Patna and Ranchi via Koderma, Hazaribagh, Barkakana and Mesra, covering the distance in just six hours.
Other trains operating on the route include the Asansol–Hatia Intercity Express, Gaya–Mumbai LTT Weekly Superfast Express and Koderma–Barkakana Passenger train.
Meanwhile, a major railway expansion project has also been approved for the route. The doubling of the 133-kilometre Koderma–Hazaribagh–Barkakana line began in January 2026 at a cost of Rs 3,063 crore. Once the double line is completed, train speeds will increase to up to 160 kmph. The project is also expected to make travel between Patna, the capital of Bihar, and Ranchi faster.
The drone video shared by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has brought renewed attention to this railway corridor, where tunnels, bridges, winding tracks, hills and dense forests come together along the Koderma–Ranchi route.

Comment List