Travellers planning their Onam holiday journeys now have more options. To manage the expected surge in passenger traffic during the festive season, Southern Railway has introduced three pairs of weekly special trains connecting Chennai with major destinations across Kerala and Mangaluru. The additional services are expected to ease waiting lists and provide more seats for passengers travelling home for the festival.

The special trains will operate on selected dates between July and early September, covering popular routes such as Chennai-Mangaluru, Chennai-Kollam and Tambaram-Thiruvananthapuram. Advance reservation for all services has already opened, allowing passengers to secure tickets well ahead of the festive rush.

1. Chennai-Mangaluru weekly Onam special train

Southern Railway will operate Train No. 06126 from Mangaluru Central to Chennai Egmore every Monday from July 13 to August 31, 2026, for a total of eight services. The train will depart Mangaluru Central at 4 pm and arrive at Chennai Egmore at 10.55 am the following day.

The return service, Train No. 06125, will leave Chennai Egmore every Tuesday between July 14 and September 1, departing at 2 pm and reaching Mangaluru Central at 8.40 am the next day.

The train will stop at major stations including Kasaragod, Kanhangad, Payyanur, Kannur, Thalassery, Vadakara, Kozhikode, Tirur, Shoranur, Palakkad, Podanur, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, Jolarpettai, Katpadi, Arakkonam and Perambur.

Coach composition

2 AC Two-Tier coaches

8 AC Three-Tier coaches

6 Sleeper coaches

4 General Second Class coaches

1 Divyangjan-friendly Second Class coach

1 Luggage-cum-Brake Van

2. Chennai-Kollam AC special train for Onam

Southern Railway has also scheduled a fully air-conditioned weekly special between Dr MGR Chennai Central and Kollam.

Train No. 06119 will leave Chennai Central every Wednesday from August 12 to September 2 at 3.10 pm, reaching Kollam at 7.20 am the following day.

The return service, Train No. 06120, will depart Kollam every Thursday from August 13 to September 3 at 10.40 am and arrive at Chennai Central at 3.30 am the next day.

Important halts include Arakkonam, Katpadi, Jolarpettai, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur, Podanur, Palakkad, Thrissur, Aluva, Ernakulam Town, Kottayam, Changanassery, Tiruvalla, Chengannur, Mavelikkara and Kayamkulam.

Coach composition

This special train will run with:

16 AC Three-Tier Economy coaches

2 Luggage-cum-Brake Vans

3. Thiruvananthapuram-Tambaram weekly special train

Another weekly special has been announced between Thiruvananthapuram Central and Tambaram to cater to passengers travelling between southern Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Train No. 06110 will leave Thiruvananthapuram Central every Wednesday from August 12 to September 2 at 3.45 pm and reach Tambaram at 10 am the following day.

Its return service, Train No. 06109, will depart Tambaram every Thursday between August 13 and September 3 at 2 pm, arriving in Thiruvananthapuram Central at 7.15 am the next morning.

The train will pass through key stations including Varkala, Kollam, Kottarakkara, Punalur, Sengottai, Tenkasi, Kadayanallur, Sankarankovil, Rajapalayam, Srivilliputtur, Sivakasi, Virudunagar, Madurai, Kodaikanal Road, Dindigul, Tiruchchirappalli, Srirangam, Ariyalur, Vriddhachalam, Villupuram, Melmaruvathur and Chengalpattu.

Coach composition

Passengers can choose from:

2 AC Two-Tier coaches

4 AC Three-Tier coaches

4 AC Three-Tier Economy coaches

6 Sleeper coaches

4 General Second Class coaches

2 Luggage-cum-Brake Vans

Ticket booking for Onam special trains

Advance reservation for all three pairs of Onam Special Trains began at 8 am on July 9, 2026. Passengers planning to travel during the festive period are advised to book early as demand is expected to be high.

The additional services are aimed at reducing congestion on regular trains while improving connectivity between Chennai, Kerala and Mangaluru during one of the busiest travel seasons of the year.