Click it and Unblock the Notifications
To improve rail connectivity between western and southern India, Southern Railway has announced two special train services connecting Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. The new trains are the Valsad-Velankanni Special and the Velankanni-Dahanu Road Special. These services will provide additional travel options for passengers, especially pilgrims visiting Velankanni, one of Tamil Nadu's most popular pilgrimage destinations.
Valsad-Velankanni Special Train
The Valsad-Velankanni Special (Train No. 09030) will run as a one-time special service. The train will depart from Valsad at 6:25 pm on July 14, 2026, and reach Velankanni at 10:00 am on July 17, completing the journey in nearly three days. During its journey, the train will travel via Dahanu Road, improving connectivity between Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.
Important Stoppages
The train will stop at several important stations, including Valsad, Dahanu Road, Palghar, Vasai Road, Panvel, Lonavala, Pune, Daund, Solapur, Kalaburagi, Wadi, Yadgir, Krishna, Raichur, Manthralayam Road, Adoni, Guntakal, Gooty, Tadipatri, Yerraguntla, Cuddapah, Razampeta, Renigunta, Katpadi, Vellore Cantonment, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Tirupadiripuliyur, Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai, Tirunallar, Karaikal, Nagore, Nagapattinam and Velankanni.
Velankanni-Dahanu Special Train
Southern Railway has also announced the Velankanni-Dahanu Road Special (Train No. 09029), which will also operate as a one-time special service. The train will leave Velankanni at 12:30 am on July 17 and arrive at Dahanu Road at 2:50 pm on July 18. It will run via Vasai Road, offering an additional travel option for passengers travelling towards Maharashtra.
Important Stoppages
The return train will stop at Nagapattinam, Nagore, Karaikal, Tirunallar, Mayiladuthurai, Chidambaram, Tirupadiripuliyur, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore Cantonment, Katpadi, Renigunta, Razampeta, Cuddapah, Yerraguntla, Tadipatri, Gooty, Guntakal, Adoni, Manthralayam Road, Raichur, Krishna, Yadgir, Wadi, Kalaburagi, Solapur, Daund, Pune, Lonavala, Panvel, Vasai Road, Palghar and Dahanu Road. The special trains are expected to benefit pilgrims, tourists, and regular passengers by providing better connectivity between the three states.