2 July 2012

New Railway time table has good news for Coimbatore; Almost all new trains are routed via Coimbatore


he Southern Railway time table, released on Friday, has more good news for Coimbatore in terms of schedules for more new trains. However, the exact dates of introduction of some of them are still awaited.As promised by the Divisional Railway Manager, Salem Division, Sujatha Jayaraj to the Railway Struggle Committee, almost all the new trains are being routed via Coimbatore with a stoppage.
Coimbatore – Bikaner AC Superfast Express
The Coimbatore – Bikaner AC Superfast Express, announced in the budget, has found a mention and schedule of operation in the time table. Train 22475/22476 will leave Bikaner at 5.50 a.m. on Thursdays and reach Coimbatore at 2.50 a.m. on Saturdays. In the return direction, it would leave Coimbatore at 15.20 p.m. on Saturdays and reach Bikaner at 12.25 hours on Mondays. The train, with a composition of 16 coaches, will have a composition of one air-conditioned first class, four II AC and nine AC three-tier coaches. The date of introduction of the service will be notified later. Passengers can alight at Merta Road to reach Ajmer for their visit to the famous dargah of Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti.
Yeswantpur – Kochuveli Weekly AC Express
The Yeswantpur – Kochuveli Weekly AC Express via Coimbatore would leave Yeswantpur on Thursdays at 15.25 hours and reach Kochuveli at 06.50 hours on Fridays providing a convenient night train facility to Thiruvananthapuram from Coimbatore. In the return direction, it would leave Kochuveli at 12.50 hours on Fridays and reach Yeswantpur at 4.30 a.m. on Saturdays, providing convenient overnight connectivity to Bangalore from Coimbatore. The date of introduction will be notified later.
Tirunelveli – Dadar Weekly Superfast Express
The other new train Tirunelveli – Dadar Weekly Superfast Express via Coimbatore, Mangalore and Madgaon (22630/22629) will leave from Tirunelveli on Wednesdays at 7.10 a.m. and reach Dadar at 15.10 hours on Thursdays and in the return direction, it would leave Dadar at 20.40 hours on Fridays and reach Tirunelveli on Sundays at 04.00 hours. The train, with 16 coaches, would have one AC two tier, one AC three tier, six sleeper class and six second class coaches. The date of introduction will be notified later. It would provide connectivity to Udupi as well.
Palakkad Town – Coimbatore – Erode MEMU
Train No 66608 and 66609 on the Palakkad Town – Coimbatore – Erode Mainline Electrical Multiple Units daily service will leave Palakkad Town at 14.30 hours and reach Erode at 19.00 hours. It would depart from Erode at 07.45 hours and reach Palakkad Town at 12.30 hours. The train, with eight coaches, would stop at all stations and the date of introduction will be notified later.
However, disappointing rail users, the Mangalore – Palakkad Intercity Express is not being extended to Coimbatore on July 1 as it was planned earlier. The train (16649/16650) will depart from Mangalore at 11.45 hours and reach Coimbatore at 19.50 hours. It would leave Coimbatore at 6.20 a.m. and reach Mangalore at 13.40 hours. The date of extension will be notified later.
Extension of Coimbatore – Erode MEMU
Extension of the Coimbatore – Erode MEMU (66602-66603) from Erode to Salem and back to Coimbatore provides convenience for onward journey to Bangalore. It would leave Coimbatore at 9.10 a.m. and reach Salem at 12.45 noon and in the return direction it would leave Salem at 13.40 hours and reach Coimbatore at 17.40 hours. Passengers in either direction can have a convenient connectivity to and from Bangalore by utilising the Nagore – Bangalore Passenger train.
Connecting train to Bangalore
In addition to the Bangalore connectivity, passengers could also get a connecting train i.e., Nagore Passenger to places such as Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai, Neyveli, Attur, Cuddalore, Tiruvarur. Travel to Bangalore from Coimbatore at 9 a.m. and reaching Bangalore at 7 p.m. at a fare of little over Rs. 50 is made possible for migrant workers from Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts.
Train No 12685/6 Chennai Central – Mangalore Express, is being made a daily train with effect from August 20 and would pass through Podanur Junction with a stoppage.
Revised timings
Train Number 16315/16316 Kochuveli – Bangalore Express, with revised timings, providing a day time train from Bangalore at 17.15 hours to Coimbatore, would provide a convenient connectivity to Kochuveli (satellite terminal for Thiruvananthapuram) from Coimbatore at night so as to reach the destination at 06.05 a.m. In the return direction, it would leave Kochuveli at 21.00 hours and reach Coimbatore early in the morning and leave for Bangalore to reach the City Junction at 12.45 a.m. Date of increase in frequency from tri-weekly to daily will announced later. The revised timings will apply to both ends with effect from July 1.
Mangalore – Puducherry – Mangalore Central (16043/16044) with a change of days in service will leave Puducherry on Thursdays at 16.35 hours and reach Mangalore Central at 9.40 hours on Fridays. In the return direction, it would leave Mangalore on Fridays at 17.05 hours and reach Puducherry at 10.00 hours on Saturdays. The new schedule is effective from September 13.
Routing of Trains
16041/16042 Chennai – Alapuzha – Chennai will run via Coimbatore with effect from September 23.
The train would leave Chennai Central at 20.45 hours and reach Coimbatore at 3.55 hours and leave at 4.00 hours to reach Alapuzha at 10.45 hours.
In the return direction it would leave Alapuzha at 16.00 hours and reach Coimbatore at 22.25 hours to reach Chennai Central at 06.45 hours.
Consequently, the departure of Nilgiris Express at Chennai has been revised and would depart at 21.15 hours.
Thiruvananthapuram – Mumbai CST Weekly Express
Thiruvananthapuram – Mumbai CST Weekly Express will be routed via Coimbatore from September 22 and leave Thiruvananthapuram at 4.30 hours on Saturdays and reach Coimbatore at 13.30 hours on Saturdays and reach Mumbai at 20.50 hours on Sundays.
In the return direction, it would leave Mumbai at 12.05 hours on Mondays and reach Coimbatore at 18.25 hours on Tuesdays and would reach Thiruvananthapuram at 3.10 hours on Wednesdays.