A high official of the BR told the state-run news agency yesterday that out of the 130 coaches, 30 air-conditioned coaches will be imported from Chang Chun Rolling Stock Manufacturing Company of China at a cost of Tk 94.64 crore while the rest will be imported from PT Inca of Indonesia at a cost of Tk 304.84 crore.

After arrival of the coaches, BR will introduce air-conditioned rail services on Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Sylhet routes, he said.

"If we can provide good customer service at reasonable ticket price and maintain time schedules, the air-conditioned express train must be profitable as passengers still prefer train to any other mode of transportation," the BR official said.

He said the authorities have also a plan to introduce some new services with the new coaches.