CHENNAI: The Chennai Egmore - Nagercoil Vande Bharat Express that will cover 724 km in under nine hours will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday. The intercity train will run six days a week, except on Wednesdays. For end to end travel, the fare would be Rs 1,650 to Rs 1,700 for chair car class ticket.
The announcement is expected to bring cheer to passengers who are often fleeced by omni buses with exorbitant fares to Nagercoil and Tirunelveli from Chennai, especially during weekends and festival seasons.
Additionally, a new Vande Bharat Express will be introduced between Madurai and Bengaluru. Both trains are scheduled to be inaugurated by the prime minister via video conference on Saturday, according to official sources.
Sources also indicated that the PM may visit the state soon to commission the newly built Pamban Bridge, though the date is yet to be finalised.
According to official documents, the Vande Bharat Express will depart from Chennai Egmore at 5 am and arrive in Nagercoil at 1.50 pm. In the return journey, the train will leave Nagercoil at 2.20 pm and reach Chennai Egmore at 11 pm. The train will have 16 coaches.
The Madurai - Bengaluru Cantonment Vande Bharat Express will also operate six days a week, except on Tuesdays. It will depart Madurai at 5.15 am and arrive at Bengaluru Cantonment at 1 pm. In the return journey, the train will leave Bengaluru Cantonment at 1.30 pm and reach Madurai at 9.45 pm, with stops at Dindigul, Tiruchy, Karur, Namakkal, Salem, and Krishnarajapuram in both directions. The train will have an eight-car rake.
Currently, Vande Bharat trains are already operating from Chennai to Mysuru, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, and Tirunelveli.