Southern Railway has announced the operation of several special trains to manage the heavy passenger rush during the Pongal festival. The announcement was made through an official release on 3 January
2026.
The Pongal special trains will operate from 8 January to 21 January 2026. These services are aimed at ensuring smooth travel for passengers returning home to celebrate the festival.
The special trains will connect key destinations across Tamil Nadu and neighbouring States. These include Nagercoil, Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Rameswaram, Coimbatore, Podanur, Mangaluru, Erode and Sengottai. The trains will run to and from major terminals such as Tambaram, Dr MGR Chennai Central and Chennai Egmore.
Key Superfast And Express Special Trains
Train No. 06012/06011 Nagercoil–Tambaram–Kanniyakumari Superfast Specials will run on 11, 12, 18 and 19 January.
Train No. 06054/06053 Kanniyakumari–Tambaram–Nagercoil Express Specials will operate on 13, 14, 20 and 21 January.
For travel between Tirunelveli and Chengalpattu, Train No. 06156/06155 and 06158/06157 Tirunelveli–Chengalpattu Superfast Specials will run on 9, 10, 16 and 17 January.
Passengers travelling to Chennai can also use Train No. 06034/06033 Coimbatore–Dr MGR Chennai Central Express Specials on 11, 12, 18 and 19 January.
Other Special Services
Additional services include Train No. 06070/06069 Tirunelveli–Chennai Egmore Superfast Special, Train No. 06126/06125 Mangaluru–Dr MGR Chennai Central Express Special, Train No. 06025/06026 Erode–Sengottai–Podanur Express Special, and Train No. 06106/06105 Rameswaram–Tambaram Special.
Southern Railway said advance reservation for all Pongal special trains will open at 8 am on 4 January 2026.
