CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu will soon have seven Amrit Bharat Express trains with the addition of three more trains that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is flagging off on Friday (January 23).
Of them, one will be operated on the high-demand stretch between Thiruvananthapuram and Tambaram, while the other two link the southern part of Tamil Nadu to neighbouring states - Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.
Train No 16122/16121 Thiruvananthapuram Central– Tambaram– Thiruvananthapuram Central Amrit Bharat Express, which Prime Minister Modi will flag off at 10.45 am from Thiruvananthapuram, will connect major destinations in Tamil Nadu such as Tirunelveli, Kovilpatti, Virudhunagar, Madurai, Tiruchy, and Virudachalam.
Train No 17042/17041 Thiruvananthapuram North-Charlapalli–Thiruvananthapuram North train will run via major destinations such as Kollam, Chengannur, Kottayam, Ernakulam Town, Thrissur, Palakkad, Coimbatore, Salem, Jolarpettai, Renigunta, Nellore, Tenali, Guntur, and Nalgonda.
Train No 16329/16330 Nagercoil–Mangaluru train will run via Thiruvananthapuram Central, Kottayam, Ernakulam Town, Thrissur, Kannur, and Kasaragod.
The schedule of regular services of the above Amrit Bharat Express trains and passenger trains will be notified later.
From January 23, Railways will operate regular service of three recently launched Amrit Bharat Express trains – from Tambaram near Chennai to Santragachi in Howrah, West Bengal; and trains to New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal from Tiruchy and Nagercoil.
Last September, an Amrit Bharat Express started running between Erode and Jogbani in Bihar.
Now, there are seven Amrit Bharat Express trains that link Tamil Nadu to other states, offering a better quality long-distance ride at an affordable fare for the common passenger.
These trains are designed to bridge the gap between conventional mail/express services and premium trains by offering improved amenities, enhanced safety features, and better ride comfort at economical fares, said the Indian Railways.