Southern Railway has announced a 12-coach, unreserved MEMU special train between Tambaram and Madurai, with the first service departing Tambaram at 5pm on September 16 and reaching Madurai early the next morning.
According to the announcement reported by Dinamalar, the train will leave Tambaram at 5pm and arrive at Madurai at 2.20am on September 17. The service is intended to provide an additional rail option on the route without reserved seating.
The train will stop at Chengalpattu, Melmaruvathur, Villupuram, Virudhachalam, Ariyalur, Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli and Dindigul before reaching Madurai. These stops connect the service to important towns and railway stations across northern, central and southern Tamil Nadu.
On the return journey, the special train will depart Madurai at 2pm on September 17 and reach Tambaram at 9.45pm. The timing provides a same-day return option for passengers travelling from Madurai towards the Chennai suburban rail network, subject to the service schedule announced by Southern Railway.
As an unreserved MEMU service, passengers will not need advance reserved tickets for seats on the train. MEMU services are generally used for short- and medium-distance passenger movement, and this special operation extends that operating model across a longer inter-city route.
The announced stops include major railway points such as Tiruchirappalli and Dindigul, as well as stations serving regional towns. Passengers using the service will need to confirm platform information, fare details and any operational changes with Southern Railway before travelling. The first announced departure is from Tambaram at 5pm on September 16, followed by the return departure from Madurai at 2pm on September 17.
