Southern Railway has announced two Diwali special trains from Chennai to Podanur and Nagercoil, offering additional travel options for passengers returning to their home towns during the festival period. Diwali will be celebrated on November 8, and reservations for both services will open at 8 am on October 29.
The first special train will run from Chennai Central to Podanur on November 6. It will depart Chennai Central at 11.55 pm and travel through Perambur, Tiruvallur, Arakkonam, Katpadi, Jolarpettai, Salem, Erode and Tiruppur before reaching Podanur.
The return service will leave Podanur at 11.30 pm on November 9 and arrive in Chennai at 9.05 am the following day. The service is intended to provide an additional rail option for passengers travelling between Chennai and the Coimbatore region during the Diwali rush.
A second special train will operate between Tambaram and Nagercoil. The Chennai-bound service will depart from Tambaram at 11.55 pm on November 6 and pass through Villupuram, Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli, Dindigul, Madurai, Virudhunagar and Tirunelveli before reaching Nagercoil.
The return train from Nagercoil will depart at 9 pm on November 9 and operate along the same route to Tambaram. The announced stops connect Chennai with several major towns in central, southern and delta districts, where demand for rail travel typically rises around major festivals.
The services form part of the seasonal effort to expand rail capacity when large numbers of urban residents travel to their native districts. For passengers, the timing of the services and the opening of reservations will be important, as festive travel demand is concentrated around a limited number of days and available seats can fill quickly.
Southern Railway has announced October 29 at 8 am as the opening time for reservations on both special trains. The Chennai–Podanur service will operate on November 6 and November 9, while the Tambaram–Nagercoil service will also run on November 6 and November 9, according to the announcement reported by Dinamalar.
