With the festival season fast approaching, Southern Railways announced that it will operate special trains in Tamil Nadu. The Railways on Tuesday said it will operate 392 festival special trains between October 20 and November 30 in view of the upcoming festive season. It also said the fares of these trains will be similar to those applicable for special trains, which means 'special charges' will be levied making the tickets costlier by 10-30% as compared to the fares of mail/express trains, depending on the class of travel.
The decision was taken as the national transporter is anticipating a passenger rush during the upcoming festive season, the Railway Ministry said in a statement.
> A superfast tri-weekly special train from Chennai to Madurai will begin operating from Chennai on October 19. The tri-weekly special train will leave Dr MGR Chennai Central at 10.30 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and reach Madurai at 7.20 am the next day. The return train will leave Madurai at 10.45 pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and reach Chennai Central at 7.50 am the next day. The first service from Madurai will be on October 20, 2020.
> Special Shatabdi trains to Coimbatore from Chennai will be operated on all days of the week except Tuesdays. The train will leave Dr MGR Chennai Central at 07.10 am and reach Coimbatore at 2.15 pm the same day. In the return direction, the special train will leave Coimbatore at 3.05 pm and reach Central at 10.15 pm the same day. Reservations for the special trains will open at 8.00 am on October 15, 2020 and the first service will begin from October 19.
> Bi-weekly Duronto special trains will be operated between Chennai Central station to Hazrat Nizamuddin. The trains will leave Chennai at 6.40 am on Mondays and Fridays and reach Hazrat Nizamuddin at 10.40 pm the next day. In the return direction, the trains will leave Hazrat Nizamuddin at 3.45 pm on Tuesdays and Saturdays and reach Chennai at 8.40 pm the next day.
> A weekly special train will leave Kanyakumari at 8.00 am on Saturdays and reach Howrah at 3.10 am on Mondays, via Chennai Egmore. The first service from Kanyakumari will be on October 24, 2020 and the last service will be on November 28, 2020. Similarly, the return service will leave Howrah at 4.10 pm on Mondays and reach Kanyakumari at 10.50 am on Wednesdays. The first service from Howrah will be on October 26, 2020 and the last service from Howrah will be November 30, 2020. This weekly special will stop at Srirangam and Ariyalur in Tamil Nadu.
> A bi-weekly special train will leave Santhragachi at 7.05 pm on Tuesdays and Fridays and reach Chennai Central at 10.45 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The return service from Chennai Central will leave Chennai at 8.10 am on Thursdays and Sundays and reach the destination at 10.30 am on Fridays and Mondays.
> As advised by South-Eastern Railways, a fully reserved train to Nagercoil will leave Chennai Egmore at 6.55 pm and reach Nagercoil at 7.30 am the next day. There will be five services from Chennai Egmore on October 23, 24, and 29, November 12 and 13. Similarly, there will be five services from Nagercoil on October 26, 27, November 1, 15 and 16. Reservations for the special train will open at 8.00 am on October 16, 2020.
(With inputs from PTI)