Ananthapuri Express Explained

Ananthapuri Superfast Express
Locale:Kerala & Tamil Nadu
Operator:Southern Railway
Start: (MS)
Stops:26 Halts
End: (QLN)
Distance:858km (533miles)
Journeytime:15 hours 30 minutes
Frequency:Daily
Class:AC first, AC 2 tier, AC 3 tier, Sleeper class, General Unreserved
Seating:Yes
Sleeping:Yes
Catering:On-Board Catering,
E-Catering
Observation:Large windows
Baggage:Available
Otherfacilities:Below the seats
Gauge: broad gauge
Trainnumber:20635 / 20636
Speed: average including halts.
Maintenance:Tiruchchirappalli Junction CDO
Sharing:16965/16866 Uzhavan Express.

The 20635 / 20636 Ananthapuri Superfast Express is an superfast express train running between and via, Tirunelveli Junction, Virudhunagar junction, Madurai Junction, Tiruchchirappalli Junction and Villupuram Junction through the trunk line and chord lines in southern India. It is a daily overnight Superfast Express service.

History

The inauguration of this train was on 30 June 2002[1] operating six days a week. Later in 2005 it was made daily train. In the beginning it ran between and . It was named Ananthapuri after the city Thiruvananthapuram. In 2017 railway budget, it was extended[2] to Kollam with effect from 1 November 2017.[3] [4]

Schedule

20635 - Chennai Egmore → Kollam ~ Ananthapuri Superfast Express
Station/Junction NameStation CodeArrivalDepartureDay
Chennai EgmoreMSSOURCE19:501
TambaramTBM20:1820:201
Chengalpattu JunctionCGL20:4820:501
MadurantakamMMK21:0821:101
MelmaruvathurMLMR21:1821:201
TindivanamTMV21:4321:451
Villupuram JunctionVM22:2822:301
Vriddhachalam JunctionVRI23:1023:121
Tiruchchirappalli JunctionTPJ01:0001:052
Dindigul JunctionDG02:1702:202
Madurai JunctionMDU03:2003:252
ThirumangalamTMQ03:4403:452
Virudhunagar JunctionVPT04:1004:122
SatturSRT04:3204:342
KovilpattiCVP04:5004:522
Tirunelveli JunctionTEN06:0506:102
NanguneriNNN06:3806:392
ValliyurVLY06:5006:522
AralvaimozhiAAY07:1007:112
Nagercoil TownNJT07:4007:432
EranielERL07:5507:562
KuzhithuraiKZT08:1008:132
ParassalaPASA08:2308:242
NeyyattinkaraNYY08:3708:382
Thiruvananthapuram CentralTVC09:3009:352
Varkala SivagiriVAK10:1510:162
ParavurPVU10:2710:282
Kollam JunctionQLN11:15DEST2
20636 - Kollam → Chennai Egmore ~ Ananthapuri Superfast Express
Kollam JunctionQLNSOURCE14:501
ParavurPVU15:0415:051
Varkala SivagiriVAK15:1515:161
Thiruvananthapuram CentralTVC16:0016:051
NeyyattinkaraNNY16:2916:301
ParassalaPASA16:4316:441
KuzhithuraiKZT16:5416:571
EranielERL17:1217:131
Nagercoil TownNJT17:2417:271
AralvaimozhiAAY17:5317:541
ValliyurVLY18:1418:161
NanguneriNNN18:2718:281
Tirunelveli JunctionTEN19:0019:051
KovilpattiCVP19:5719:591
SatturSRT20:1620:181
Virudhunagar JunctionVPT20:5020:521
ThirumangalamTMQ21:1021:111
Madurai JunctionMDU21:5021:551
Dindigul JunctionDG22:4822:501
Tiruchchirappalli JunctionTPJ00:1500:202
Virudhachalam JunctionVRI01:4501:472
Villupuram JunctionVM03:0003:052
TindivanamTMV03:4003:422
MelmaruvathurMLMR04:0304:052
MadurantakamMMK04:1804:202
Chengalpattu JunctionCGL04:4304:452
TambaramTBM05:1305:152
MambalamMBM05:3405:352
Chennai EgmoreMS06:10DEST2

Coach composition

In total 23 coaches are there. It includes One AC First Class (H), AC 2 Tier (A), AC 3 Tier (B), Sleeper Class (SL), Unreserved general sitting coach (GS) and End on Generators (SLRD).

The Ananthapuri Superfast Express between Chennai Egmore and Kollam has a rake sharing agreement (RSA) with Uzhavan Express (16865 / 16866) between Chennai and Thanjavur. The primary maintenanced by the four rakes of the express at Tiruchchirappalli (Trichy) coaching depot.[5]

Incident

The engine of 16723 Express caught fire at Kollam Junction on 16 July 2018.[6]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: New Thiruvananthapuram–Chennai express train from June 30. The Hindu. 18 June 2002.
  2. News: Extended destination of three daily trains running through the state. 25 October 2017. Times of India.
  3. Web site: Southern Railway–Gateway of South India . 6 April 2018.
  4. Web site: India Rail Info–Anantapuri Express . 6 April 2018.
  5. News: Tiruchi chosen for maintenance of Vande Bharat Express rakes . 6 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220608235031/https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/tiruchi-chosen-for-maintenance-of-vande-bharat-express-rakes/article65388062.ece . 8 June 2022 . . 20 November 2022.
  6. (Malayalam, not available in English) manoramaonline.com...train.html