Thiruvananthapuram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off three new Amrit Bharat Express trains from Kerala this morning. The newly introduced services are expected to strengthen inter-State rail connectivity between Kerala and neighbouring States such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

The central flag-off ceremony was held at Putharikandam Maidan in Thiruvananthapuram, while parallel events were organised at Thiruvananthapuram Central, Thiruvananthapuram North (Kochuveli) and Thrissur railway stations. The Prime Minister’s programme was live-streamed at these locations, allowing passengers, railway staff and the general public to witness the inauguration.

Elected representatives, dignitaries, railway officials and members of passenger associations attended the events.

Following the flag-off, the following Amrit Bharat Express services were introduced, 1. Thiruvananthapuram Central–Tambaram Amrit Bharat Express, 2. Nagercoil Junction–Mangaluru Junction Amrit Bharat Express and 3. Thiruvananthapuram North (Kochuveli)–Charlapalli Amrit Bharat Express.

Timetable and details of the new services

1. Tambaram – Thiruvananthapuram Central – Tambaram Amrit Bharat Express

(Train Nos. 16121/16122)

This weekly service connects Tambaram, a suburb of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, with Thiruvananthapuram Central, the capital of Kerala, strengthening rail links along the southern corridor and promoting travel for work, tourism and family visits.

Frequency: Weekly

Effective from: Train No. 16121 (Tambaram–Thiruvananthapuram Central): January 28, 2026 (Wednesday) and Train No. 16122 (Thiruvananthapuram Central–Tambaram): January 29, 2026 (Thursday)

Timetable

Train No.	Departure Station	Departure Time	Arrival Station	Arrival Time	Journey Duration
16121	Tambaram	17:00 hrs (Wednesday)	Thiruvananthapuram Central	08:00 hrs (next day)	~15 hours
16122	Thiruvananthapuram Central	10:40 hrs (Thursday)	Tambaram	23:45 hrs (same day)	~13 hours

Route: Via Villupuram, Tiruchchirappalli, Dindigul and Madurai, covering approximately 768 km

Stoppages: 15 stations, including Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Tiruchchirappalli, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Nagercoil Town and Kulitturai

Coach composition: 8 Sleeper Class coaches, 11 General Second Class coaches, 2 Divyangjan-friendly General Second Class coaches and 1 Pantry Car

Reservations: Open from 08:00 hrs on January 24, 2026

Key feature: An economical overnight travel option with improved seating and onboard catering facilities

2. Nagercoil Junction – Mangaluru Junction – Nagercoil Junction Amrit Bharat Express

(Train Nos. 16329/16330)

This weekly service links Nagercoil Junction in southern Tamil Nadu with Mangaluru Junction in coastal Karnataka, traversing Kerala’s west coast and supporting tourism, coastal trade and passenger movement along the Konkan–Malabar route.

Frequency: Weekly

Effective from: January 27, 2026

Timetable

Train No.	Departure Station	Departure Time	Arrival Station	Arrival Time	Journey Duration
16329	Nagercoil Junction	11:40 hrs (Tuesday)	Mangaluru Junction	05:00 hrs (next day)	~17 hrs 20 min
16330	Mangaluru Junction	08:00 hrs (Wednesday)	Nagercoil Junction	22:05 hrs (same day)	~14 hrs 5 min

Route: Via Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Chengannur, Kottayam and Shoranur, covering approximately 705 km

Stoppages: 20 stations, including Ernakulam Town, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod

Coach composition: 8 Sleeper Class coaches, 11 General Second Class coaches, 1 Pantry Car and 2 Divyangjan-friendly brake vans

Reservations: Open from 08:00 hrs on January 24, 2026

Key feature: Improved connectivity for coastal passengers, fisheries, small businesses and tourists

3. Charlapalli – Thiruvananthapuram North (Kochuveli) – Charlapalli Amrit Bharat Express

(Train Nos. 17041/17042)

This weekly long-distance service connects Charlapalli near Hyderabad with Thiruvananthapuram North (Kochuveli), linking Telangana with Kerala and facilitating pilgrimage, business and family travel across multiple States.

Frequency: Weekly

Effective from: January 27, 2026

Timetable

Train No.	Departure Station	Departure Time	Arrival Station	Arrival Time	Journey Duration
17041	Charlapalli	07:15 hrs (Tuesday)	Thiruvananthapuram North	14:45 hrs (next day)	~31 hrs 30 min
17042	Thiruvananthapuram North	17:30 hrs (Wednesday)	Charlapalli	23:30 hrs (next day)	~30 hours

Route: Via Guntur, Vijayawada, Renigunta, Katpadi, Salem, Coimbatore, Palakkad and Ernakulam, covering about 1,488 km

Stoppages: 29 stations across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala

Coach composition: Sleeper Class, General Second Class, Divyangjan-friendly coaches and a Pantry Car, in line with standard Amrit Bharat Express configurations

Reservations: Open from 08:00 hrs on January 24, 2026

Key feature: Supports long-haul travel for pilgrims and professionals commuting between Hyderabad and southern commercial hubs