Kasaragod–Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express (via Kottayam)

The 20633/20634 Kasaragod - Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express (via Kottayam) is India's 15th Vande Bharat Express train, connecting Kasaragod with state capital Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.[1][2] The train service was officially inaugurated on 25 April 2023 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Thiruvananthapuram Central.[3] As of July 2023, it is the best-performing Vande Bharat Express train service with an average occupancy of 183 per cent, according to official data.[4]

Not to be confused with Kasaragod - Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express (via Alappuzha).

Kasaragod - Thiruvananthapuram
Vande Bharat Express (via Kottayam)
Vande Bharat Express train running from Kasaragod Station to Thiruvananthapuram Central
Overview
Service typeVande Bharat Express
LocaleKerala
First service25 April 2023 (2023-04-25) (Inaugural run)
26 April 2023 (2023-04-26) (Commercial run)
Current operator(s)Southern Railways (SR)
Route
TerminiKasaragod (KGQ)
Thiruvananthapuram Central (TVC)
Stops8
Distance travelled586 km (364 mi)
Average journey time08hrs 05mins
Service frequencySix days a week [lower-alpha 1]
Train number(s)20633 / 20634
Line(s) usedShoranur–Mangalore section
Shoranur–Cochin Harbour section
Ernakulam–Kottayam–Kayamkulam line
Kollam–Thiruvananthapuram trunk line
On-board services
Class(es)AC Chair Car, AC Executive Chair Car
Seating arrangements
  • Airline style
  • Rotatable seats
Sleeping arrangementsNo
Catering facilitiesOn-board catering
Observation facilitiesLarge windows in all coaches
Entertainment facilities
Baggage facilitiesOverhead racks
Other facilitiesKavach
Technical
Rolling stockVande Bharat 2.0
Track gaugeIndian gauge
1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge
Electrification25 kV 50 Hz AC Overhead line
Operating speed110 km/h (68 mph) (maximum)
73 km/h (45 mph) (Avg.)
Average length384 metres (1,260 ft) (16 coaches)
Track owner(s)Indian Railways
Rake maintenanceKochuveli, Thiruvananthapuram

Overview

This train is operated by Indian Railways, connecting Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Shoranur Junction, Thrissur, Ernakulam Town, Kottayam, Chengannur, Kollam Junction and Thiruvananthapuram Central. This is the first Vande Bharat Express train for Kerala [5] and the third Vande Bharat Express train for Southern Railways.[6] It is operated with train numbers 20633/20634 on 6 days a week basis.[7][8]

Rakes

It is the thirteenth 2nd Generation Vande Bharat Express train which has been designed and manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) under the leadership of Sudhanshu Mani at Perambur, Chennai under the Make in India initiative.

Coach composition

The 20633/20634 Kasaragod - Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express (via Kottayam) has 14 AC Chair Car and 2 Executive Chair Cars coaches. The coaches in Aqua colour indicate AC Chair Cars and the coaches in Pink colour indicate AC Executive Chair Cars.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
20633 | C14 C13 C12 C11 C10 C9 C8 E2 E1 C7 C6 C5 C4 C3 C2 C1 |
20634 | C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 E1 E2 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 |

Service

The 20633/20634 Kasaragod - Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express (via Kottayam) operates 6 days a week, covering a distance of 586 km (364 mi) in a travel time of 08hrs 05mins with average speed of 73 km/h. [9] The train can go as fast as 180 km/h. However, this speed is not possible in Kerala in the current situation. Currently, the maximum speed between Thiruvananthapuram and Kayamkulam(Alappuzha) will be 100 km/h. It can only travel at a speed of 90 kmph from Kayamkulam to Ernakulam whereas the speed will be 80 kmph on Ernakulam-Shoranur route and 100 to 110 km/h after Shoranur.[10]

  1. Except Thursdays

Schedule

The schedule of this 20633/20634 Kasaragod - Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express (via Kottayam) is given below:-[11]

KGQ - TVC - KGQ Vande Bharat Express (via Kottayam)
20633 Stations 20634
Arrival Departure Arrival Departure
---- 14:30 Kasaragod 13:25 ----
15:28 15:30 Kannur 12:03 12:05
16:28 16:30 Kozhikode 11:03 11:05
17:28 17:30 Shoranur Junction 10:02 10:04
18:10 18:12 Thrissur 09:30 09:32
19:17 19:20 Ernakulam Town 08:25 08:28
20:10 20:13 Kottayam 07:24 07:27
20:46 20:48 Chengannur 06:53 06:55
21:30 21:32 Kollam Junction 06:08 06:10
22:35 ---- Thiruvananthapuram Central ---- 05:20

Incidents

Just few days after the commercial run of this Vande Bharat Express train, an unidentified man pelted stones on this express train on Monday, 1 May 2023. This incident occurred near the Tirur railway station in the Malappuram district in Kerala around 5pm in the evening. Despite the crack, this train continued the journey and halted at the Shoranur Junction railway station. Once on arrival, the railway protection force inspected the cracks to find out this issue. Luckily no casualties were reported during this incident. [12][13]

See also

References
  1. "Vande Bharat Express extended to Kasaragod; 130 kmph speed in 3.5 years: Rail min Ashwini Vaishnaw". English.Mathrubhumi. 18 April 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  2. "Kerala's first Vande Bharat Express to run till Kasaragod". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  3. "PM flags off Vande Bharat service". The Times of India. 26 April 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  4. "Kasaragod To Trivandrum Vande Bharat Train Best Performing: Official Data". NDTV.com. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  5. Bureau, The Hindu (14 April 2023). "PM Narendra Modi to flag off Kerala's first Vande Bharat service in Thiruvananthapuram on April 25". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  6. "PM Modi to announce Vande Bharat train services in Kerala on April 25". English.Mathrubhumi. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  7. Bureau, The Hindu (22 April 2023). "PM to flag-off Vande Bharat Express on April 25". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  8. "Rousing reception as Vande Bharat train arrives in Kerala". The Times of India. 15 April 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  9. "ഏഴു മണിക്കൂറിൽ 501 കിലോമീറ്റർ, 100 കി.മീ. വേഗം കൈവരിക്കാൻ 52 സെക്കൻഡ്; വന്ദേഭാരതിനെ അറിയാം". www.manoramaonline.com. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  10. "16 കോച്ചുകളുള്ള തിരുവനന്തപുരം-കണ്ണൂർ ട്രെയിൻ; വിഷുക്കൈനീട്ടമായി വന്ദേഭാരത് കേരളത്തിലെത്തി". Mathrubhumi. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  11. "Thiruvananthapuram Central-Kasaragod Vande Bharat Express begins commercial run from today – Know travel time, stoppage points, and significance". Financialexpress. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  12. "Stone thrown at Vande Bharat in Kerala within a week of inaugural run; cracks on a window". OnManorama. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  13. "Stones pelted at Kerala Vande Bharat Express train in Malappuram district, security alerted, probe underway". DNA India. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
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