Special Trains for Diwali Rush

Much to the delight of rail users, Southern Railway has announced a set of special trains for Diwali to clear the extra rush of passengers. They will be operated from Chennai to Tirunelveli, Coimbatore and Nagercoil thus covering entire southern and western regions of the state.

According to a statement, train no. 06012 Tirunelveli - Chennai Egmore superfast special (via chord line) will leave Tirunelveli at 6.10pm on October 21 and reach Chennai Egmore at 6am the next day. The train will stop at Kovilpatti, Sattur, Virudhunagar, Madurai, Dindigul, Trichy, Vriddhachalam, Villupuram, Chengalpattu, Tambaram and Mambalam.

Train no. 06352 Nagercoil - Chennai Egmore superfast special (via chord line) will leave Nagercoil at 5.05pm on October 20 and reach Chennai Egmore at 6.15am the next day. The train will stop at Tirunelveli, Kovilpatti, Sattur, Virudhunagar, Madurai, Dindigul, Trichy, Vriddhachalam, Villupuram, Chengalpattu, Tambaram and Mambalam. Train Number 06351 Chennai Egmore - Nagercoil superfast special (via chord line) will leave Chennai Egmore at 3pm on October 24 and reach Nagercoil at 3.45am the next day. The train will stop at Tambaram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Vriddhachalam, Trichy, Dindigul, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Sattur, Kovilpatti, Tirunelveli and Valliyur.

Train no. 06745 Chennai Egmore - Tirunelveli special train (via main line) will leave Chennai Egmore at 10.45pm on October 27 and reach Tirunelveil at 12.30pm the next day.

The train will stop at Tambaram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Tirupadirippuliyur, Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, Trichy, Dindigul, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Sattur, Kovilpatti and Vanchi Maniyachchi. Advance reservations for these trains will commence from October 5 onwards.

Southern Railway has also announced a set of premium trains for Diwali season. Train no. 00609 Chennai Egmore - Tirunelveli Premium superfast special (via chord line) will leave Chennai Egmore at 9.05pm on October 20 and reach Tirunelveli at 7.15 am the next day. The train will stop at Trichy, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Sattur and Kovilpatti. Advance reservations for train no. 00609 will commence on October 5 (Sunday).

Train no. 00611 Chennai Egmore - Nagercoil Premium superfast special (via chord line) will leave Chennai Egmore at 3pm on October 21 and reach Nagercoil at 3.45 am the next day. The train will stop at Trichy, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Kovilpatti and Tirunelveli. Advance reservations for train no. 00611 will commence on October 6 (Monday).

Train no. 00632 Nagercoil - Chennai Egmore Premium superfast special train (via chord line) will leave Nagercoil at 5.05pm on October 23 and reach Chennai Egmore at 6.05am the next day. The train will stop at Tirunelveli, Kovilpatti, Virudhunagar, Madurai and Trichy. Advance reservation for train Number 00632 will commence on October 8. Train no. 00672 Tirunelveli - Chennai Egmore Premium superfast special (via main line) will leave Tirunelveli at 6.15pm on October 26 and reach Chennai Egmore at 7.15am the next day. The train will stop at Virudhunagar, Madurai, Trichy, Thanjavur and Villupuram. Advance reservation for train no. 00672 will commence on October 11.

"Southern Railway has done justice to all parts of state this time providing special trains till Nagercoil and Coimbatore. With most of the reservations exhausted as soon as booking started in August, these special trains for Diwali will be more helpful to rail users," said P Edward Jeni, secretary of Kanyakumari District Rail Users Association.

S Chandramouli, vice-president of Tirunelveli Chamber of Commerce said the special trains will benefit hundreds of people travelling to their home towns for Diwali. "The Southern Railway can consider operating a day time special train to Tirunelveli since it will clear considerable passenger rush in the night trains," he added.