Tiruchirappalli–Howrah Superfast Express

The 12663 / 12664 Tiruchirappalli – Howrah Superfast Express is an inter-city Express service connecting Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu with Howrah (Kolkata), West Bengal in India. The train is the first long-distance train operated by Tiruchirappalli railway division from Tiruchirappalli Junction, running beyond Tamil Nadu border.^[1]

Tiruchirappalli–Howrah Superfast Express

Overview
Service type	Express
Locale	Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal
First service	1998; 27 years ago (1998)
Current operator	Southern Railway
Route
Termini	Tiruchirappalli Junction (TPJ) Howrah (HWH)
Stops	21
Distance travelled	2,026 km (1,259 mi)
Average journey time	35 hours, 20 minutes
Service frequency	Bi-weekly
Train number	12663 / 12664
On-board services
Classes	AC First Class, AC 2 Tier, AC 3 Tier, Sleeper Class, General Unreserved
Seating arrangements	Yes
Sleeping arrangements	Yes
Catering facilities	Available
Observation facilities	Large windows
Technical
Rolling stock	LHB coach
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed	57 km/h (35 mph) average including halts
Route map

Overview

This express train was introduced during the 1998–1999 Railway Budget to run between Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu and Howrah/Kolkata in West Bengal tri-weekly, leaving Tiruchi on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.^[2] Numbered as 6803/6804, the service was reduced to bi-weekly, leaving Tiruchi on Tuesdays and Fridays only, in July 2000. On Saturdays the service was extended till Kanyakumari as a new service numbered 6355/6356.^[3]

This train was converted to Superfast type and re-numbered to 2663/2664 from 24 January 2006 (Tiruchi) and 26 January 2006 (Howrah).^[4] The train number was changed to 12663/12664 from December 2010 as a part of train management system over the entire Indian Railways network.^[5][6] The train runs with LHB rakes from August 2022. ^[7]

Rakes

The train has 24 coaches comprising 1 AC First Class Cum AC Two Tier, 1 AC Two Tier, 5 AC Three Tier, 12 Sleeper class, 2 General Unreserved,2 Luggage Cum Disabled Coaches and 1 Pantry Car.^[a]

Loco	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23
	SLR	UR	S12	S11	S10	S9	S8	S7	S6	S5	PC	S4	S3	S2	S1	B5	B4	B3	B2	B1	A1	HA1	UR	SLR

Schedule

This bi-weekly service leaves Tiruchirappalli Junction as 12664,^[8] arrives Visakhapatnam, reverses the loco and finally reaches the destination at Howrah.^[9] On the return journey, the train leaves Howrah as 12663,^[10] arrives Visakhapatnam the next day, reverses the loco and finally reaches the destination at Tiruchirappalli Junction Some of the prominent stoppages includes Vriddhachalam Junction, Viluppuram Junction, Chengalpattu Junction, Vijayawada Junction, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram Junction, Khurda Road Junction, Cuttack Junction and Kharagpur Junction.^[11][b]

See also

• Cholan Express
• Pallavan Express
• Rockfort Express
• Tiruchirappalli–Mayiladuthurai Express
• Vaigai Superfast Express
• Tiruchirappalli–Thiruvananthapuram Intercity Express

Notes

1. The coach composition is subject to change.
2. The timings are in Indian Standard Time.