Christmas-New Year rush: Check details of special train services for Kerala commuters
To accommodate the surge in passenger traffic during Christmas and New Year, Indian Railways has announced the operation of special train services to and from Kerala. This move aims to ease travel for those returning home for the festive season. The special train services is expected to provide significant relief to commuters, particularly along the Thiruvananthapuram-Mangaluru stretch.
Southern Railway has confirmed that ticket bookings for these special trains will open at 8 am on Sunday.
Starting Monday, two special trains will run between Yesvantpur and Mangaluru, catering to Christmas travellers. These trains will consist of 20 coaches.
Train schedules
- Tambaram-Kanyakumari weekly superfast special: Train number 06039 will depart Tambaram at 12:35 am on 24 and 31 December, reaching Kanyakumari at 12:15 pm. The return service (06040) will leave Kanyakumari at 4:30 pm on 25 December and 1 January, arriving in Tambaram at 4:20 am the following day.
- Chennai Central-Kochuveli weekly special: Train number 06043 will leave Chennai Central at 11:20 pm on 23 and 30 December, reaching Kochuveli by 6:05 pm the following day. The return service (06044) will depart Kochuveli at 8:20 pm on 24 and 31 December, arriving in Chennai Central at 2 pm the next day.
- Kochuveli-Mangaluru weekly unreserved Antyodaya special: Train number 06037 will depart Kochuveli at 8:20 pm on 23 and 30 December, arriving in Mangaluru at 9:15 am the next day. The return train (06038) will leave Mangaluru at 8:10 pm on 24 and 31 December, reaching Kochuveli by 10 am the next day.
High demand
Union Minister of State George Kurian urged the Railway Ministry to introduce these special trains in light of the high demand for travel around 20–23 December, when many Malayalis return home for Christmas celebrations. Regular train tickets for these dates are often booked months in advance.
These additional services also address the ongoing Sabarimala pilgrimage, which attracts thousands of devotees during this period. Across various railway zones, 149 special train services will be introduced for the Christmas season.