THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Thiruvananthapuram Division of Southern Railway has launched many initiatives to make train services more efficient and travel more comfortable. Major trains have been permanently given extra coaches. During busy seasons like summer and festivals, additional coaches were also added temporarily to popular trains. This has led to more seat availability and shorter waiting lists. All long-distance trains with modern LHB coaches now have four unreserved general coaches, helping short-distance passengers too.
All Vande Bharat trains running in the division now have more seats. The Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod Vande Bharat got 25% more seats and the number of coaches increased from 16 to 20.
The Chennai-Nagercoil Vande Bharat was upgraded to 20 coaches. The Mangalore-Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat doubled its coaches from 8 to 16.
Between May 20 and 22, 2025, several daily passenger trains like those running between Kottayam, Kollam, Alappuzha, Nagercoil, and Thiruvananthapuram were upgraded from 12 to 14 coaches to support daily commuters.
Between December 2024 and May 2025, 31 train pairs were temporarily given extra coaches for a total of 1,023 trips, helping passengers during peak travel periods.
Two stations -Chirayinkeezh and Kulitturai- were inaugurated with modern facilities, attractive interiors, better lighting and safety features. Five more stations in the division will soon be opened with similar upgrades.
At Thiruvananthapuram Central, the extension of Platform No. 2 is nearing completion. This will solve the long-standing issue of platform shortage, helping trains arrive and depart on time.
“These changes are based on real passenger needs and feedback. Our goal is to ensure every passenger enjoys a safe, comfortable, and timely journey,” said Manish Thaplyal, Divisional Railway Manager, Thiruvananthapuram.