Special trains for Ayyappa devotees
Visakhapatnam: Keeping the demand from the locals and public representatives in view and also to clear the extra rush of Ayyappa devotees, East Coast Railway decided to run special trains between Srikakulam and Kollam and extend the services of Visakhapatnam and Kollam special based on the growing demand. Srikakulam Road -Kollam –Srikakulam Road Special
Srikakulam Road- Kollam special express train (08553) will leave Srikakulam Road on Sundays at 6 am from December 1st – to January 26th. It will reach Duvvada at 08.47 am and depart at 08.52 am and reach Kollam on Monday at 2.30 pm.
In return, Kollam-Srikakulam Road special train (08554) will leave Kollam on Mondays at 4.30 pm from December 2nd to January 27th, 2025. It reaches Duvvada the next day at 10.35 pm and departs at 10.40 pm and reaches Srikakulam Road on Wednesday at 2.30 am.
The pair of special trains will halt at Ponduru, Chipurupalli, Vizianagaram, Kottavalasa, Pendurthi, Duvvada, Anakapalle, Samalkot, Rajahmundry, Eluru, Vijayawada, Ongole, Nellore, Gudur, Renigunta, Katpadi, Jolarpettai, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur, Podanur, Palakkad, Thrissur, Aluva, Ernakulam Town, Ettumanur, Kottayam, Changanassery, Thiruvalla, Chengannur, Mavelikara, Kayamkulam between the Srikakulam Road and Kollam stations. Extension of Visakhapatnam-Kollam–Visakhapatnam special
Visakhapatnam- Kollam special express train (08539) will leave Visakhapatnam on Wednesdays at 8.20 am from December 4th to February 26th. It will reach Kollam on Thursdays at 12.55 noon.
In return, the Kollam-Visakhapatnam weekly special train (08540) will leave Kollam on Thursdays at 7.35 pm from December 5th to February 27th , 2025. It reaches Visakhapatnam on Fridays at 11.20 pm.
The pair of special trains will have stoppages at Duvvada, Samalkot, Rajahmundry, Eluru, Vijayawada, Tenali, Ongole, Nellore, Gudur, Renigunta, Katpadi, Jolarpettai, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur, Podanur, Palakkad, Thrichur, Aluva, Ernakulam Town, Kottayam, Chenganseri, Tiruvalla, Chengannur, Mavelikara and Kayamkulam between the Visakhapatnam and Kollam stations.
Also, East Coast Railway decided to renumber the Waltair Division origin express trains with effect from March-2025. The revised train number for Visakhapatnam-Cuddapah Tirumala express would be 18521 with effect from March 1,
2025 and in return, the train number of Cuddapah-Visakhapatnam express would be 18522 ( old numbers 17488/87) with effect from March 1, 2025
Similarly, the revised train number of Visakhapatnam–Banaras bi-weekly express would be 18523 with effect from March 2. 2025 and in return, the train number of Banaras-Visakhapatnam bi-weekly express would be 18524 with effect from March 3, 2025 (old numbers 18311/12).
The revised train number for Visakhapatnam- Kirandul Night express would be 18513 with effect from March 1, 2025 and in return, the train number of Kirandul-Visakhapatnam express would be 18514 with effect from March 1, 2025. The revised train number for Visakhapatnam–Guntur Uday express would be 22875 with effect from March 1, 2025 and in return, the train number of Guntur-Visakhapatnam would be 22876 (old numbers 22701/22702) with effect from March 1, 2025.