Ananthapuri Express is an express train running between Kollam Junction and Chennai Egmore via Thiruvananthapuram Central, Nagercoil, Tirunelveli, Madurai, Trichy and Viluppuram through the trunk line and chord lines in southern India. It is a daily overnight service. From Chennai Egmore, train no:16723 departs by 19:50 hours and reaches Kollam Junction at 13:00 hours the next day. The parallel train numbered 16724 starts 15:00 Hours from Kollam and reaches Chennai around 08:05 hours the next day.

Chennai Egmore–Kollam Junction Anantapuri Express

Ananthapuri Express just leaving Chengalpet railway station with a WAP-4 in lead
Overview
Service type	Express
Status	Operating
Locale	Kerala & Tamil Nadu
First service	30 June 2002; 20 years ago (2002-06-30) (initial run between Thiruvananthapuram Central and Chennai Egmore)[1] 1 November 2017; 4 years ago (2017-11-01) (extended to Kollam Junction)[2]
Current operator(s)	Indian Railways
Route
Termini	Kollam Junction (QLN) Chennai Egmore (MS)
Stops	31
Distance travelled	859 km (534 mi)
Average journey time	17 hours 5 minutes
Service frequency	Daily
Train number(s)	16723/16724
On-board services
Class(es)	AC 1st Class, AC 2 tier, AC 3 tier, 12 Sleeper 3 tier, 4 Unreserved
Seating arrangements	Chair car & Bench seat
Sleeping arrangements	Couchette cars
Catering facilities	No
Observation facilities	Large windows
Technical
Rolling stock	WAP-7, WAP-4
Track gauge	5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) broad gauge
Electrification	25 kV AC 50 Hz
Operating speed	50 km/h (31 mph)
Rake maintenance	Rameswaram
Rake sharing	Sethu Express
Route map

History

The inauguration of this train was on 30 June 2002[1] operating six days a week. Later in 2005 it was made daily train. In the beginning it ran between Chennai Egmore and Thiruvananthapuram Central. It was named Ananthapuri after the city Thiruvananthapuram. In 2017 railway budget, it was extended[2] to Kollam with effect from 1 November 2017.[3][4]

Route

It runs along the Kollam–Thiruvananthapuram trunk line and other chord lines through one among the shortest routes from Kollam to Chennai via Thiruvananthapuram, Nagercoil, Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar, Madurai, Trichy, Viluppuram and Chengalpattu.

Halts

Kollam Junction → Paravur → Varkala Sivagiri → Thiruvananthapuram Central → Neyyattinkara → Parassala → Kuzhithurai → Eraniel → Nagercoil Junction → Aralvaimozhi → North Panagudi → Valliyur → Nanguneri → Tirunelveli Junction → Vanchi Maniyachchi Junction → Kadambur → Kovilpatti → Satur → Virudhunagar Junction → Tirumangalam → Madurai Junction → Kodaikanal Road → Dindigul Junction → Tiruchirappalli Junction → Vriddhachalam Junction → Viluppuram Junction → Tindivanam → Melmaruvathur → Maduranthakam → Chengalpattu Junction → Tambaram → Mambalam → Chennai Egmore[5]

Schedule

• 16723 – Starts from Chennai Egmore daily at 20:10 IST and reaches Kollam Junction next day at 13:30 IST
• 16724 – Leaves Kollam Junction every day at 15:00 IST and reaches Chennai Egmore next day morning 08:10 IST

Coach composition

The train consists of 23 coaches as follows:

• 1 AC First cum AC 2 Tier

• 1 AC II Tier
• 3 AC III Tier
• 12 Sleeper class
• 4 General Unreserved
• 2 Seating cum Luggage Rake

Incident

The engine of 16723 Express caught fire at Kollam Junction on 16 July 2018.[6]

See also

• Chennai Egmore–Kollam Junction Express
• Guruvayur Express
• Kollam–Visakhapatnam Express
• Silambu Express
• Pothigai Express

References