Boat Mail Express should not be confused with Mail boat.
| Color: | ffba01 |
| Boat Mail Express | |
| Type: | Mail/Express |
| Locale: | Tamil Nadu |
| Status: | Active |
| Last: | 2022(TEMPORARY SHORT TERMINAL) |
| Operator: | Southern Railway zone |
| Ridership: | Mail/Express |
| Website: | www.indianrailways.gov.in |
| Start: | (MS) |
| Stops: | 20 |
| End: | (MMM) |
| Distance: | 665km (413miles) |
| Journeytime: | 12 hours 30min |
| Frequency: | Daily |
| Class: |
|
| Seating: | Yes (Un-Reserved Compartment) |
| Sleeping: | Yes (Berth) |
| Catering: | E-Catering
|
| Observation: | Large windows |
| Entertainment: | No |
| Baggage: | AVAILABLE |
| Otherfacilities: | BIO TOILET |
| Stock: | |
| El: | 25 kV AC, 50 Hz (High Voltage traction) |
| Trainnumber: | 16751/16752 |
| Speed: | 59km/h |
| Trainlength: | 23 Coaches |
| Sharing: | Sethu Superfast Express&[AMRITHA EXPRESS ] |
The Rameswaram (Boat Mail) Express, previously known as the Boat Mail or Indo-Ceylon Express, is an express train that connects Mandapam with the state capital Chennai via Tambaram, Chengalpet, Melmaruvattur, Viluppuram, Cuddalore port, Chidambaram, Sirkazhi, Mayiladuthurai, Tanjore, Tiruchchirappalli, Pudukkottai, Karaikudi, Sivagangai, Manamadurai and Ramanathapuram. During the 1900s, it was a combined train and steamer ferry service between India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Connecting Chennai and Colombo, the system initially utilised a rail-to-sea operation, but changed to a rail-to-sea-to-rail operation.[1] Passengers could buy a single ticket for the journey. Now, it runs from Chennai Egmore to Rameswaram via Villuppuram, Kumbakonam, Tiruchchirappalli, Pudukkottai, Karaikkudi, Devakottai, Manamadurai, Paramakkudi, Ramanathapuram, Mandapam, and Pamban.
This train shared its rake with Sethu Express&AMRITHA EXPRESS (FROM DECEMBER 31).
The train's name commemorates the 19th century mail service between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka (then Ceylon). It is one of the top most prestigious trains of Indian Railways and it has completed 100 years of service in 2014.[2] Before cyclone, the train was running as a metre-gauge train from to via,, Cuddalore Port Junction,,,,, Pudukkottai,, Devakottai, Sivagangai,, and Rameswaram. Due to the conversion of metre gauge to broad gauge, the train was stopped. After the completion of broad-gauge track in Chennai–Madurai–Rameswaram line, the train is resumed via . Later the conversion of Tiruchirappalli–Manamadurai line, this train is rerouted via that route which skips Madurai. Finally the Mayiladuthurai to Thanjavur line is converted to broad gauge once again this train is rerouted via Thanjavur which is the present route of Boat Mail Express.[2]
In the late 19th century, the train was inaugurated on 1 January 1880. The railway portion of the route within India was from Madras (Chennai) to Tuticorin. At Tuticorin, passengers embarked on the boat mail steamer to Colombo in Ceylon. The train took 21 hours and 50 minutes for the journey from Madras to Tuticorin. The Boat Mail was one of the early trains to be given vestibuled carriages, in 1898.[1] Presently this train route is running as Pearl City Express.
In 1914, after the Pamban bridge was built, the train's route changed and it went from Madras to Dhanushkodi.[3] A much shorter ferry service then took the passengers to Talaimannar in Ceylon, from where another train went to Colombo. The 35km (22miles) long ferry journey was considerably shorter than the 270km (170miles) long Tuticorin-Colombo route. From 1930's, this train has been rerouted from its original route via Madurai Junction to its present-day route due to the opening of Trichinopoly - Manamadurai railway route which is shorter distance in comparison with its original route which leads to reduction in overall travel time.
In 1964 a passenger train was washed into the sea by huge waves during the 1964 cyclone, when nearing Dhanushkodi. The railway tracks and the pier at Dhanushkodi were also destroyed. Following this, the Indian portion of the train service now only operates up to Rameswaram,[2] while the ferry service to Talaimannar has restarted from Rameswaram has been discontinued from 1984 due to Tamil Eelam issue.[4] It now runs between and via,,,,,,,,,,, Devakottai Road, Kallal,,, and in the Indian end where as it runs as Colombo - Thalaimannar Night Mail express at Sri Lankan end.
| 16751 - Chennai Egmore → Rameswaram ~ Rameswaram (Boat Mail) Express | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Station/Junction Name | Station Code | Arrival | Departure | Day | |
| Chennai Egmore | MS | SOURCE | 19:15 | 1 | |
| Tambaram | TBM | 19:43 | 19:45 | 1 | |
| Chengalpattu Junction | CGL | 20:13 | 20:15 | 1 | |
| Melmaruvathur | MLMR | 20:38 | 20:40 | 1 | |
| Villupuram Junction | VM | 21:50 | 21:55 | 1 | |
| Cuddalore Port Junction | CUPJ | 22:38 | 22:40 | 1 | |
| Chidambaram | CDM | 23:08 | 23:10 | 1 | |
| Sirkazhi | SY | 23:26 | 23:27 | 1 | |
| Mayiladuthurai Junction | MV | 23:55 | 23:57 | 1 | |
| Kumbakonam | KMU | 00:25 | 00:27 | 2 | |
| Thanjavur Junction | TJ | 01:00 | 01:02 | 2 | |
| Tiruchchirappalli Junction | TPJ | 02:50 | 03:00 | 2 | |
| Pudukottai | PDKT | 03:43 | 03:45 | 2 | |
| Karaikkudi Junction | KKDI | 04:10 | 04:12 | 2 | |
| Devakottai Road | DKO | 04:19 | 04:20 | 2 | |
| Sivaganga | SVGA | 04:39 | 04:30 | 2 | |
| Manamadurai Junction | MNM | 05:35 | 05:40 | 2 | |
| Paramakkudi | PMK | 06:03 | 06:05 | 2 | |
| Ramanathapuram | RMD | 06:30 | 06:32 | 2 | |
| Mandapam | MMM | 07:08 | 07:09 | 2 | |
| Pamban | PBM | 07:22 | 07:23 | 2 | |
| Rameswaram | RMM | 08:20 | DEST | 2 | |
| 16752 - Rameswaram → Chennai Egmore ~ Rameswaram (Boat Mail) Express | |||||
| Rameswaram | RMM | SOURCE | 17:10 | 1 | |
| Pamban | RMD | 17:36 | 17:37 | 1 | |
| Mandapam | MMM | 17:58 | 18:00 | 1 | |
| Ramanathapuram | RMD | 18:28 | 18:30 | 1 | |
| Paramakkudi | PMK | 18:53 | 18:55 | 1 | |
| Manamadurai Junction | MNM | 19:20 | 19:25 | 1 | |
| Sivaganga | SVGA | 19:45 | 19:47 | 1 | |
| Kallal | KAL | 20:05 | 20:06 | 1 | |
| Devakottai Road | DKQ | 20:15 | 20:16 | 1 | |
| Karaikkudi Junction | KKDI | 20:30 | 20:32 | 1 | |
| Pudukottai | PDKT | 21:04 | 21:05 | 1 | |
| Tiruchchirappalli Junction | TPJ | 23:00 | 23:10 | 1 | |
| Thanjavur Junction | TJ | 00:00 | 00:02 | 1 | |
| Kumbakonam | KMU | 00:34 | 00:36 | 2 | |
| Mayiladuthurai Junction | MV | 01:18 | 01:20 | 2 | |
| Sirkazhi | SY | 01:43 | 01:45 | 2 | |
| Chidambaram | CDM | 02:00 | 02:02 | 2 | |
| Cuddalore Port Junction | CUPJ | 02:31 | 02:32 | 2 | |
| Villupuram Junction | VM | 04:20 | 04:25 | 2 | |
| Melmaruvathur | MLMR | 05:13 | 05:15 | 2 | |
| Chengalpattu Junction | CGL | 05:48 | 05:50 | 2 | |
| Tambaram | TBM | 06:18 | 06:20 | 2 | |
| Mambalam | MBM | 06:38 | 06:40 | 2 | |
| Chennai Egmore | MS | 07:20 | DEST | 2 | |
The Rameswaram to Tiruchchirappalli section is hauled by a WDM-3A/WDG-3A Diesel locomotive and Tiruchchirappalli to Chennai Egmore by a WAP-4 electric loco. The same locomotive types are used on the return journey. Between Tiruchchirappalli Junction and, this train achieves a maximum speed of 110 km/h.[5] [6]
The train consists of 23 coaches, which shares its rakes with Sethu Superfast Express, operates daily and covers a distance of 667km (414miles).It includes One AC First Class cum 2nd AC (HA), AC 2 Tier (A), AC 3 Tier (B), Sleeper Class (SL), Unreserved general sitting coach (GS) and End on Generators (SLRD).
At one time the South Indian Railway considered constructing a bridge 12miles long across the shallow waters and sand shoals and reefs known as Adam's Bridge between India and Sri Lanka. However, this plan was shelved when World War I broke out.