Circar Express

The 17643 / 17644 || 17655 / 17656 Circar Express is a daily express train run by Indian Railways from Chengalpattu Junction railway station to Kakinada Port railway station . The train covers a distance of 755 km and from Puducherry railway station to Kakinada Port railway station .The train covers a distance of 896 km.^[1]

Circar Express

Overview
Service type	Express
Locale	Puducherry, Tamil Nadu & Andhra Pradesh
First service	1 October 1965; 59 years ago (1965-10-01)
Current operator(s)	South Central Railway
Route
Termini	Chengalpattu (CGL) Puducherry (PDY) Kakinada Port (COA)
Stops	37
Distance travelled	755 km (469 mi) 896 km (557 mi)
Average journey time	20 hours 20 minutes
Service frequency	Daily
Train number(s)	17643 / 17655 || 17644 / 17656
On-board services
Class(es)	AC 2 Tier, AC 3 Tier, Sleeper Class, General Unreserved
Seating arrangements	Yes
Sleeping arrangements	Yes
Catering facilities	On-board catering, E-catering
Observation facilities	Large windows
Baggage facilities	Available
Other facilities	Below the seats
Technical
Rolling stock	ICF coach
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Electrification	Yes
Operating speed	43 km/h (27 mph) average including halts.
Route map

Arrival and departure

Train no. 17643 departs from Puducherry every day at 13:30 hrs.^[2] reaching Kakinada Port the next day at 10:10hrs.^[3] Train no. 17644 departs from Kakinada Port every day at 14:20 hrs. reaching Puducherry the next day at 09:30 hrs.^[4]

Name

The train is named after the Circars region (also spelled as Circar) which historically referred to the coastal districts of present-day Andhra Pradesh during British rule. This is the only train who wants to travel daily from Tanuku , Bhimavaram , Akividu , Kaikaluru , Gudivada to reach Chennai Egmore i.e, Chennai for works.

Locomotive

This train has ran with Diesel Locomotive at start upto Electrification of Vijayawada - Nidadavolu loop line . The train is hauled by Lallaguda Loco Shed based WAP-7 or Vijayawada Loco Shed based WAP-4 electric locomotive on its entire journey.

Routes and halts

• Puducherry
• Villupuram junction
• Melmaruvathur
• Chengalpattu Junction
• Tambaram
• Chennai Egmore
• Gummidipoomdi
• Sullurupeta
• Nayadupeta
• Gudur Junction
• Nellore
• Bitragunta
• Kavali
• Singarayakonda
• Ongole
• Vetapalem
• Chirala
• Bapatla
• Nidubrolu
• Tenali Junction
• New Guntur
• Mangalagiri
• Vijayawada Junction
• Gudivada Junction
• Kaikaluru
• Akividu
• Bhimavaram Town
• Tanuku
• Nidadavolu Junction
• Godavari
• Rajahmundry
• Dwarapudi
• Anaparti
• Samalkot Junction
• Kakinada Town Junction
• Kakinada Port

Rake sharing

This train has rake sharing with 17651 / 17652 Kacheguda-Puducherry Express and it has rake sharing with 17655/17656 Puducherry - Kakinada Port Circar Express

Average speed and frequency

The train runs at an average speed of 43 km/h. It runs on a daily basis.

Train no 17643/44 runs from Kakinada Port to Chengalpattu Junction on Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and from Chengalpattu Junction to Kakinada Port on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday.

Train no 17655/56 runs from Kakinada Port to Puducherry on Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday and from Puducherry to Kakinada Port on Monday, Thursday, Friday

Demands

As per demands, this train is extended from Chengalpattu Junction to Puducherry from 13-03-2024.^[5]