Pongal 2026 Travel Rush: Southern Railway’s Special Trains You Can’t Miss

To accommodate the surge in passenger demand during Pongal, Southern Railway has scheduled multiple special trains across Tamil Nadu and adjoining regions. Running from January 8 to 21, these services will link key hubs such as Nagercoil, Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Rameswaram, Coimbatore, and Mangaluru with Chennai terminals.

The initiative is designed to ease congestion and provide reliable travel options for thousands of commuters heading home for the harvest festival. Advance bookings began on January 4, giving passengers sufficient time to secure tickets.

Key highlights

• Dates of operation: January 8–21, 2026.
• Major routes: Nagercoil, Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Rameswaram, Coimbatore, Podanur, Mangaluru, Erode, Sengottai.
• Key terminals: Tambaram, Chennai Central, Chennai Egmore.

Train examples:

• Train No. 06012/06011 Nagercoil–Tambaram–Kanniyakumari Superfast Specials (Jan 11, 12, 18, 19).
• Train No. 06054/06053 Kanniyakumari–Tambaram–Nagercoil Express Specials (Jan 13, 14, 20, 21).
• Train No. 06156/06155 Tirunelveli–Chengalpattu Superfast Specials (Jan 9, 10, 16, 17).
• Booking: Advance reservations opened January 4 at 8 AM.

These services are expected to significantly ease festive travel, ensuring smoother journeys during one of South India’s busiest travel seasons.

Sources: Moneycontrol; News18; Times of India; Indian Express