CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu emerged as the biggest beneficiary of Southern Railway's passenger service expansion during 2025-26, with the zone introducing 23 new train services linked to the state, adding 65 coaches to existing trains.
Data released by Southern railway shows that the zone also expanded capacity on heavily patronised routes, increased frequencies, extended select services and added more than 150 new stoppages across Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Among the major services introduced were Erode–Jogbani Amrit Bharat Express, the New Jalpaiguri–Nagercoil and New Jalpaiguri–Tiruchirappalli Amrit Bharat Expresses, the Tambaram–Thiruvananthapuram Amrit Bharat Express and the Podanur–Dhanbad Amrit Bharat Express. Southern Railway also introduced the Bengaluru–Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express.
When it comes to extending existing services to new destinations, the Thiruvananthapuram–Madurai Amrita Express was extended up to Rameswaram, while frequency enhancements were introduced on selected routes, including Tirupati–Rameswaram Express, which was upgraded from a tri-weekly service to four days a week. Passenger services on the Tiruchirappalli–Karaikudi and Karaikudi–Virudhunagar sections were also converted into daily operations.
They have also permanently augmented 41 pairs of trains and seven individual services, deploying 95 additional coaches through 43 rakes. Tamil Nadu accounted for the largest share of the additions with 65 coaches, followed by Kerala(47), Karnataka34), Andhra(22).
The Chennai–Nagercoil Vande Bharat Express was expanded from a 16-coach to a 20-coach while the Mangaluru–Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat grew from 8 coaches to 20.
Southern Railway claims to provide fresh halts at more than 150 stations across its jurisdiction. In Tamil Nadu, Budalur, Pennadam, Kovilpatti, Pichcandar Kovil, Perambur, Ambattur, Tindivanam and Pudukkottai.