The 02625 / 02626 Kerala SF Special is a daily Superfast Express train of the Indian Railways that runs between Template:Stnlnk and Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala state. It is currently the longest-running daily Superfast train of Indian Railways (3027 km) and second-longest daily train in country after Avadh Assam Express (3115 km).[1] It is the second direct train to Kerala (1977) from the national capital Delhi after Jayanti Janata Express (1973) and first direct train connecting the state capital and Southern Kerala with New Delhi.
History
The Kerala Express was introduced in 1977 as a split train named Kerala–Karnataka (KK) Express.[2] The composition of Karnataka–Kerala Express has been increased from 14 coaches to 21 coaches with effect from 29 January 1981.[3]
Kerala Express since running independently, briefly had a slip service to Mangalore (1988 till 1993) where a portion of the train used to amalgamate/bifurcate at Palakkad Junction to run as 2625A/2626A Link Mangala Exp. This continued until Mangala Exp was made an independent train in 1993 numbered 2617/18.
The train is running with LHB rakes with effect from 4 November 2018.[4]
On 10 June 2019, during the 2019 Indian heat wave, four pilgrims from Tamil Nadu died due to heat exposure in the Kerala Express as it traveled south through the Bundelkhand, before the train arrived at Jhansi Junction.[5][6]
Route & Halts
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The halts for this Train (02625) are as follows:
1) Thiruvananthapuram Central
2) Varkala Sivagiri
3) Kollam Junction
4) Kayankulam Junction
5) Mavelikara
6) Chengannur
7) Tiruvalla
8) Changanaseri
9) Kottayam
10) Vaikom Road
11) Ernakulam Town
12) Aluva
13) Thrissur
14) Ottappalam
15) Palakkad Junction
16) Coimbatore Junction
17) Tiruppur
18) Erode Junction
19) Salem Junction
20) Jolarpettai
21) Katpadi Junction
22) Chittoor
23) Tirupati Main
24) Renigunta Junction
25) Gudur Junction
26) Nellore
27) Vijaywada Junction
28) Warangal
29) Ramagundam
30) Balharshah
31) Chandrapur
32) Sevagram
33) Nagpur
34) Itarsi Junction
35) Bhopal Junction
36) Bina Junction
37) Jhansi Junction
38) Gwalior Junction
39) Agra Cantt
40) Mathura Junction
41) Faridabad
42) Hazrat Nizamuddin
43) New Delhi
Traction
It is hauled by a Royapuram / Erode based WAP 7 locomotive from end to end.
See also
- Ernakulam Town
- Karnataka Express
- Kerala Sampark Kranti Express
- Mangala Lakshadweep Express
- Trivandrum Central
References
- ↑ Statistical Summary Indian Railways, Longest trains, List of. www.indianrailways.gov.in/(2013).
- ↑ Interim Railway Budget Madhu Dandavate, Interim, Railway Budget. www.indianrailways.gov.in(28 March 1977).
- ↑ Railway Budget speech 1981-82. www.indianrailways.gov.in. Ministry of Railways(19 February 1981).
- ↑ Kerala misses out on promised trains, backup coaches as authorities turn a blind eye. OnManorama. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
- ↑ Four pilgrims from Tamil Nadu die in train near Jhansi. The Hindu(2019-06-11). Retrieved 2019-06-13.
- ↑ Heatwave claims 4 on Kerala Express. Mumbai Mirror. Retrieved 2021-04-28.