Southern Railway to speed up nearly 65 trains in TN from Jan 1

Chennai, Dec 31 (PTI) The speed of nearly 65 trains operating on various routes across Tamil Nadu will be enhanced from January 1, 2026, resulting in a reduction of journey time by up to 30 minutes, Southern Railway said on Wednesday.

The decision to speed up trains is part of the railways’ ongoing efforts to enhance passenger convenience, improve punctuality and modernise rail operations, a press release said.

"Select mail, express, and passenger trains operating over upgraded sections will run at enhanced speeds, resulting in reduced travel time and improved schedule reliability. The speed enhancement follows extensive infrastructure upgrades, including track strengthening, signalling improvements, better maintenance practices and enhanced safety systems," it said.

The trains for which journey time has been reduced include the Dr MGR Chennai Central–Tirupati Saptagiri Express, Dr MGR Chennai Central–New Delhi Grand Trunk Express, Dr MGR Chennai Central–Bodinayakkanur Superfast Express, and so on.

Other trains benefiting from the revised schedules include the Chennai Egmore–Guruvayur Express, Chennai Egmore–Rameswaram Sethu Superfast Express and several others, the release added. PTI VIJ SSK