Chennai Egmore–Guruvayur Express

The 16127 / 16128 Chennai Egmore–Guruvayur Express is one of the express trains of Southern Railway zone in India, which runs between Chennai Egmore in Tamilnadu to Guruvayur in Kerala. This train is the successor the erstwhile Chennai Egmore (MS) - Cochin Harbour Terminus (CHTS) Mixed Express. The Mixed Express stopped running after Cochin Harbour Terminus (CHTS) was closed down for Passenger services in 2000.

Chennai Egmore–Guruvayur Express

Overview
Service type	Express
Locale	Tamil Nadu & Kerala
First service	18 January 2003; 22 years ago (2003-01-18)
Current operator(s)	Southern Railway
Route
Termini	Chennai Egmore (MS) Guruvayur (GUV)
Stops	46
Distance travelled	1,111 km (690 mi)
Average journey time	22 Hours
Service frequency	Daily
Train number(s)	16127 / 16128
Line(s) used	Chord line (MSTooltip Chennai Egmore railway station – TPJTooltip Tiruchirappalli Junction railway station) Tiruchirappalli-Thiruvananthapuram line (TPJTooltip Tiruchirappalli Junction railway station – TVCTooltip Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station) Kollam–Thiruvananthapuram trunk line (TVCTooltip Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station – QLNTooltip Kollam Junction railway station) Kollam–Kayamkulam spur line (QLNTooltip Kollam Junction railway station – KYJTooltip Kayamkulam Junction railway station) Ernakulam–Kayamkulam coastal railway line (KYJTooltip Kayamkulam Junction railway station – ERSTooltip Ernakulam Junction railway station) Shoranur–Cochin Harbour section (ERSTooltip Ernakulam Junction railway station – TCRTooltip Thrissur railway station) Guruvayur–Thrissur spur line (TCRTooltip Thrissur railway station – GUVTooltip Guruvayur railway station)
On-board services
Class(es)	AC 2 Tier, AC 3 Tier, Sleeper Class, General Unreserved
Disabled access
Seating arrangements	Yes
Sleeping arrangements	Yes
Catering facilities	On-board catering, E-catering
Observation facilities	Large windows
Baggage facilities	Available
Technical
Rolling stock	ICF coach
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed	51 km/h (32 mph) average including halts.
Route map

Background

Earlier it used to connect Cochin Harbour Terminus (CHTS) with state capital of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram and was later extended to Nagercoil, Madurai and then Chennai. Cochin Harbour Terminus (CHTS) was closed down for Passenger services in 2000. Hence the Train was introduced in 2003 to run between capital of Tamil Nadu, Chennai and the temple city, Guruvayur in Thrissur district of Kerala via Tiruchirapalli, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Nagercoil, Trivandrum the capital city of Kerala, Ernakulam & Thrissur. A link of the train runs up to Thoothukudi as it was announced by the Railway Minister of India in the 2013-2014 Railway Budget. After December 2020, this link train was suspended.

Route

At present the service leaves Chennai Egmore daily in the morning, and reaches Guruvayur the next morning. In return it leaves Guruvayur daily at night and reaches Chennai Egmore night of next day. It runs through Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Vriddhachalam, Trichy, Dindigul, Madurai Junction, Virudhunagar, Sattur,Kovilpatti,Tirunelveli, Vallioor ,Nagercoil Town, Thiruvananthapuram Central, Kollam, Kayamkulam, Ernakulam Junction, Thrissur, Punkunnam.

Schedule

Earlier in 1990's era, this daily express train departed from Chennai Egmore at 9.00 hrs in the morning, reaching Cochin Harbour Terminus (CHTS) next day at 07.45 hrs. In return the express train departed from Cochin Harbour Terminus (CHTS) at 21.00 hrs, reaching Chennai Egmore next day at 19.45 hrs, covering 1,022 km (635 mi) in 22 hrs 45 mins at speed of 45 kilometres per hour (28 mph), But with closure of Cochin Harbour Terminus (CHTS) in 2002, from 2003, this daily express train commences its journey as Train Number 16127 from Chennai Egmore at 10.20 hrs and reaches Guruvayur the next day at 07.40 hrs, links the important cities and towns of southern Tamil Nadu with Kerala via Chord line reversing loco at Nagercoil Junction. It is recently skipping Nagercoil Jn and has a stop at Nagercoil Town. It connects the important cities of Chennai, Villupuram, Tiruchirappalli, Madurai and Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu with Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kochi and Thrissur in Kerala. It longitudinally crosses almost the whole state of Tamil Nadu. It runs via Alleppey route in Kerala.^[1][2] In return direction the express train leaves Guruvayur at 23.15 hrs daily as Train Number 16128 and reaches Chennai Egmore the next day at 20.25 hrs via the same route.^[3][4][a]

See also

• Tambaram-Nagercoil Antyodaya Express
• Nellai Express
• Pearl City Express
• Pothigai Express
• Silambu Express
• Pandian Express
• Vaigai Express

Notes

1. The schedule and routes are subject to change for administrative reasons.