The Seshadri Express is a train in India, named after the Seshadri Hills of Tirupati. The train's inaugural run was between Andhra Pradesh's coastal city of Kakinada to temple pilgrimage city of Tirupati. In 2005, it was extended to Bengaluru in neighbouring Karnataka. This train is considered to be one of the best ways to commute on this route.[citation needed] The Seshadri Express is regarded as a punctual train.[citation needed]
![]() Seshadri Express pulled by WDP-1A at Samarlakota Junction | |||||
Overview | |||||
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Service type | Express | ||||
Status | Operating | ||||
Locale | Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu & Karnataka | ||||
First service | December 24, 2002; 19 years ago (2002-12-24) (initial service between Kakinada Town and Tirupati) 2005; 17 years ago (2005) (extended to KSR Bengaluru) October 2, 2022; 6 days ago (2022-10-02) (change of terminus from KSR Bengaluru to SMVT Bengaluru) | ||||
Current operator(s) | South Coast Railway zone | ||||
Route | |||||
Termini | Kakinada Town (CCT) SMVT Bengaluru (SVMB) | ||||
Stops | 35 | ||||
Distance travelled | 959 km (596 mi) | ||||
Average journey time | 19 hours 45 minutes | ||||
Service frequency | Daily | ||||
Train number(s) | 17209 / 17210 | ||||
On-board services | |||||
Seating arrangements | Yes | ||||
Sleeping arrangements | Yes | ||||
Observation facilities | Standard Indian Railways coaches | ||||
Technical | |||||
Rolling stock | 4 | ||||
Track gauge | 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) | ||||
Operating speed | 50 km/h (31 mph) | ||||
Rake sharing | SMVT Bengaluru–Nagercoil Express | ||||
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It was started in 2002. Prior to the Seshadri Express, a link express from Kakinada, which consisted of 12 compartments, was connected to the Tirumala Express which runs from Visakhapatnam to Tirupati and Samalkot Junction, these two trains were coupled & combinely run together till Tirupati Main. Keeping in mind the growing demand for a new train to the pilgrim centre, the government introduced the Seshadri Express in 2002 and extended it up to Bengaluru. The train thus runs through the loop path of Nidadavolu, Tanuku, Bhimavaram, Gudivada, and Vijayawada to cater to the needs of Godavari and Krishna district.
The Seshadri Express runs between Kakinada and the software capital of India, Bangalore, via Tirupati. It is currently being operated with 17209 / 17210 train numbers. It is one of the busiest trains, running with 20 coaches at full capacity at all times.[citation needed] It has 6 AC, 10 Sleeper, 3 second-class general compartments, and 2 luggage cum brake vans.
*Locomotive is changed at Vijayawada Junction.
This train shares its rake with SMVT Bengaluru–Nagercoil Express.
Hence, this train acts as a night express between Godavari district places and the pilgrimage centre of Tirupati, and also as an Intercity express between Tirupati and Bangalore.