The Lucknow - Pataliputa Express is just standing there. Not the best choice for travelling. It's like the Gomti Express but with fewer stops. You could go for AC 3 Tier, but the train is always getting rescheduled. And the arrival time in Lucknow from PPTA is very bad. If you're going to Patna, a better option is the Gwalior-Barauni train. It gives you an overnight alternative up to Hajipur. Sadly, not Patna yet. But the Indian Railways could technically run an 8-coach VB on this route via Sultanpur-Varanasi-Patna. It might attract passengers going to both Banaras and Patna. Oh, and here's a picture of Lucknow City, a station in old Lucknow.

Lucknow - Pataliputa Express dikhta hai khada hua. Safar ke liye acchi vyavastha nahi hai. Gomti Express jaisi hai par rukne-kharidne kam hai. AC 3 Tier bhi chuna ja sakta hai par train ki timings baar-baar badalti hai. Aur agar Lucknow se PPTA aane wale ho toh bahut hi bura samay hota hai.

Patna jaane wale ke liye behtar option hai Gwalior-Barauni; Hajipur tak ek raat ko vikalp deta hai. Patna abhi tak nahi. IR teoretically is route pe Sultanpur-Varanasi-Patna ke through 8 coach VB chalva sakta hai. Ye logon ko Banaras aur Patna dono jaane ka mauka de sakta hai.

Oh, aur ek tasveer Lucknow City ki, old Lucknow station ki.

Bonus ride

Aur ek coach (और एक कोच)

Padmavat/AYC-DLI express mein ek aur SL coach add hua hai. Ab is train mein total 10 SL coaches chalenge. LHB trains mein ye bahut rare hota hai dekhna.