Seshadri Express

The Seshadri Express is a train in India, named after the Seshadri Hills of Tirupati. The train's inaugural run was between Andhra Pradesh's coastal city of Kakinada to temple pilgrimage city of Tirupati. In 2005, it was extended to Bengaluru in neighboring Karnataka. From October 2 , 2022 it's terminal has changed to Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal. Seshadri Express is more often or not late ^{[citation needed]}

Seshadri Express

Seshadri Express pulled by WDP-1A at Samarlakota Junction
Overview
Service type	Express
Status	Operating
Locale	Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu & Karnataka
First service	December 24, 2002; 22 years ago (2002-12-24) (initial service between Kakinada Town and Tirupati) 2005; 20 years ago (2005) (extended to KSR Bengaluru) October 2, 2022; 2 years ago (2022-10-02) (change of terminus from KSR Bengaluru to SMVT Bengaluru)
Current operator(s)	South Coast Railway zone
Route
Termini	Kakinada Town (CCT) SMVT Bengaluru (SVMB)
Stops	35
Distance travelled	959 km (596 mi)
Average journey time	18 hours 45 minutes
Service frequency	Daily
Train number(s)	17209 / 17210
On-board services
Seating arrangements	Yes
Sleeping arrangements	Yes
Observation facilities	Standard Indian Railways coaches
Technical
Rolling stock	4
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed	50 km/h (31 mph)
Rake sharing	17235/17236 SMVT Bengaluru–Nagercoil Express 06426/06427 Nagercoil–Kollam Express Special 06429/06430 Kochuveli–Nagercoil Express Special
Route map

History

It was started in 2002. Prior to the Seshadri Express, a link express from Kakinada, which consisted of 12 compartments, was connected to the Tirumala Express which runs from Visakhapatnam to Tirupati and Samalkot Junction, these two trains were coupled & combinedly run together till Tirupati Main. Keeping in mind the growing demand for a new train to the pilgrim centre, the government introduced the Seshadri Express in 2002 and extended it up to Bengaluru. The train thus runs through the loop path of Nidadavolu, Tanuku, Bhimavaram, Gudivada, and Vijayawada to cater to the needs of the Godavari and Krishna district.

Coach composition

The Seshadri Express runs between Kakinada and Bengaluru, the IT capital of India, Bangalore, via Tirupati. It is currently being operated with 17209 / 17210 train numbers. It is one of the busiest trains, running with 23 coaches at full capacity at all times.^{[citation needed]} It has 8 AC, 11 Sleeper, 2 second-class general compartments, and 2 luggage cum brake vans.

Route

• Kakinada Town
• Samarlakota Junction
• Anaparthi
• Rajamahendravaram
• Nidadavolu Junction
• Tanuku
• Attili
• Bhimavaram Town Halt
• Akividu
• Kaikaluru
• Gudivada Junction
• Vijayawada Junction (Locomotive change from WDG-3A (earlier WDP-1A) to WAP-4 and vice-versa)
• Tenali Junction
• Nidubrolu
• Bapatla
• Chirala
• Ongole
• Singarayakonda
• Kavali
• Nellore
• Gudur Junction
• Srikalahasti
• Renigunta Junction
• Tirupati
• Pakala Junction
• Chittoor
• Katpadi Junction
• Gudiyattam
• Vaniyambadi
• Jolarpettai Junction
• Kuppam
• Bangarapete Junction
• Maluru
• Whitefield
• Krishnarajapura
• Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal, Bengaluru

*Locomotive is changed at Vijayawada Junction.

Timings

• Train 17210^[1] departs Kakinada Town at 17:30 to reach Tirupati at 5:30 am and SVMT Bengaluru at 12:30 pm the next day.
• In return, Train No. 17209,^[2] Seshadri Express, has been revised with effect from 30 Jun 2019, and leaves SVMT Bengaluru 11:00 am, Tirupati at 5:15 pm and Kakinada Town at 6:45 am the next day.

Hence, this train acts as a night express between Godavari district places and the pilgrimage centre of Tirupati, and also as an Intercity express between Tirupati and Bangalore.

Gallery

• 
  Sesadri Express near KR Puram
• 
  Seshadri Express