Special Trains for Onam Festival
To handle the anticipated increase in passenger traffic during the Onam festival season, Southern Railway has introduced several special weekly trains connecting major destinations in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka. These services are scheduled to
run on various dates through August and into early September. Key routes include services between Mangaluru Central and Chennai Egmore, Thiruvananthapuram Central and Tambaram, and Chennai Central and Kollam. For instance, a weekly special from Mangaluru Central to Chennai Egmore will run on Mondays throughout August, with the return service operating on Tuesdays. Similarly, special services connecting Thiruvananthapuram and Tambaram will operate on Wednesdays and Thursdays on specific dates in August and September. Passengers are advised to book their tickets early, as advance reservations for these services opened in July and demand is expected to be high.
Focus on Revised Terminals in Chennai
A significant update for August travellers involves temporary changes to train services in Chennai due to ongoing redevelopment work at the Chennai Egmore Railway Station. From August 5 to August 20, 2026, several express trains will not operate from or to Chennai Egmore. Instead, these services will originate from or terminate at Tambaram and Mambalam stations. This affects popular services like the Thanjavur-Chennai Egmore Uzhavan Express, Mangaluru Central-Chennai Egmore Express, and the Kollam-Chennai Egmore Ananthapuri Superfast Express, all of which will be short-terminated at or originate from Tambaram during this period. For example, trains arriving from Kollam, Mangaluru, and Thanjavur between August 5 and 19 will end their journey at Tambaram. The corresponding outbound trains will depart from Tambaram from August 6 to August 20.
Alternate Routes and Diverted Services
In addition to terminal changes, some long-distance trains will run on diverted routes, skipping major stops. This directly impacts the schedule and requires passengers to pay close attention to the alternate paths. The Ahmedabad-Tiruchchirappalli Weekly Express Special, on its journeys scheduled for August 6 and 13, will be rerouted via Renigunta, Tiruttani, and Chengalpattu. Consequently, it will skip its usual stops at Arakkonam, Perambur, and Chennai Egmore, with a new temporary stop added at Tiruttani. Likewise, the return train from Tiruchchirappalli to Ahmedabad on August 9 and 16 will also follow a diverted path, bypassing Chennai Egmore and Perambur. These adjustments are crucial for passengers planning to board or deboard at the skipped stations.
How to Stay Updated and Plan Your Journey
Given the number of temporary changes, Southern Railway has urged all passengers to verify their train schedules and terminal information before starting their journey. The most reliable sources for real-time updates are the official Indian Railways channels, including the National Train Enquiry System (NTES) app and the official railway website. Travellers whose boarding or alighting station has been changed due to the works at Chennai Egmore must make alternative arrangements to reach the revised stations, such as Tambaram or Mambalam. As these changes are temporary to facilitate long-term infrastructure improvements, checking for the latest announcements is the best way to avoid any last-minute inconvenience during this busy travel month.
