New Routes for Festive Travel
To clear the extra rush of passengers during the Onam festival season, Southern Railway has announced several special trains connecting key destinations across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka. These services are designed to provide additional capacity
and offer more travel options during this busy period. Announcements confirm weekly special trains running between Mangaluru Central and Chennai Egmore, as well as Thiruvananthapuram Central and Tambaram, throughout August and into early September. For instance, the Mangaluru Central-Chennai Egmore Weekly Special (Train No. 06126) is scheduled to depart every Monday in August. Another key service, the Thiruvananthapuram Central-Tambaram Express Special (Train No. 06110), will run on Wednesdays in August. These additions are a significant relief for those travelling home for the festivities.
Additional Boarding Points in Chennai
In a related development, travellers should note important changes to boarding and terminating stations for several regular express trains in Chennai. Due to ongoing redevelopment work at the Dr MGR Chennai Egmore Railway Station, some services will temporarily originate from or terminate at Tambaram and Mambalam. This arrangement is effective from August 5 to August 20, 2026. For example, the Thanjavur-Chennai Egmore Uzhavan Express (Train No. 16866) and the Kollam-Chennai Egmore Ananthapuri Superfast Express (Train No. 20636) will terminate at Tambaram instead of Egmore during this period. Similarly, the Tiruchchirappalli-Chennai Egmore Rockfort Express (Train No. 12654) will terminate at Mambalam. Passengers booked on these trains are advised to double-check their boarding and alighting points to avoid any confusion.
Onam and Independence Day Specials
The August schedule is packed with services catering to specific events. For the Onam festival, which begins on August 16 this year, special trains will connect Mysuru and Kannur (Train No. 06229) and Kannur and Bengaluru Cantonment (Train No. 06230) at the end of the month. These trains are specifically timed to handle the increased passenger demand between Karnataka and Kerala for the 10-day harvest festival. Additionally, special services are often announced to manage the rush during the Independence Day weekend. Last year, for example, Southern Railway operated superfast specials between Chennai Central and Podanur, among other routes, to facilitate holiday travel. Passengers should keep an eye out for similar announcements for this year's long weekend.
Your August Train Booking Checklist
With these new services and operational changes, planning your August travel requires attention to detail. First, identify the correct special train that serves your route and check its specific running dates, as most are weekly services operating only on certain days. Second, confirm your boarding and destination stations, especially if your journey involves Chennai Egmore, as redevelopment work has led to temporary diversions to Tambaram and Mambalam for several key trains. Third, book your tickets well in advance. Reservations for many of these Onam special trains opened in early July, and demand is expected to be high. You can book through the official IRCTC website, the mobile app, or at Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters. Finally, always check the National Train Enquiry System (NTES) for the most current, real-time information on train schedules and status before leaving for the station.
