East Central Railways came into existence in its present form on 16th June, 1996. Initially there were only five divisions for East Central Railway, Hajipur: Danapur, Dhanbad, Mughalsarai, Sonepur and Samastipur. Later on 8th September, 1996 the division of Hajipur was added as its headquarters. The latter is located in the Vaishali District in Bihar.
To ensure a smooth functioning of the East Central Railways has been divided into several departments, such as, Accounts, Commercial, Electrical, Engineering, Audit, Store, Security, Signal & Telecom, Medical, Administration, Mechanical, Operating, Personnel and Vigilance. Most of the stations of Eastern Central Railways, Hajipur have been allotted with numerous facilities to make journeys comfortable for the passengers. There are waiting rooms, safety deposit lockers and medical aid.
There are several special trains at Eastern Railways that run to and fro. Express trains, such as, Shatabdi and Rajdhani are available from stations of Eastern Railways. Besides these there are special hill trains connecting the picturesque landscapes of Ooty, Darjeeling, Matheran, Shimla and others. Shivalik Palace, Shivalik Deluxe, Shivalik Queen and the Palace On Wheels can be accessed from the stations of Eastern Railway.