Click it and Unblock the Notifications
Kerala-bound demand peaks today, Saturday, August 22. The headline departure is Chennai Central–Kollam bi‑weekly special, leaving at 11:50 pm, reaching Kollam around 4:20 pm tomorrow, with halts at Perambur, Tiruvallur, Arakkonam, Katpadi, Jolarpettai, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur and Podanur. Bookings opened earlier, but current booking may free seats until charting. Expect added coaches to be notified mid‑day if crowds surge.
Onam special trains from Bengaluru today
South Western Railway ran Bengaluru Cantonment–Kannur and SMVT Bengaluru–Thiruvananthapuram specials this week; no fresh Saturday departure was notified as of this morning. Watch for late‑evening capacity moves or one‑trip specials on SWR channels. If connecting at Yeshwanthpur, Bengaluru Metro’s last trains run close to 11:45 pm, easing late arrivals. Arrive early and use foot‑overbridges to avoid bottlenecks.
Onam special trains from Mumbai today
Central Railway signalled an Onam special from Lokmanya Tilak Terminus to Thiruvananthapuram; watch the evening Konkan slot for final timings and coach counts. Regular LTT–Ernakulam Duronto and Netravati are heavily booked this weekend. For last‑mile access, Tilak Nagar suburban station sits about 440 metres from LTT; prepaid taxi and app pickups help clear post‑midnight exits. Mumbai Metro’s ONDC tie‑ins aid onward rides on connected corridors.
IRCTC booking tips and WL to RAC cues
Tatkal opens one day prior at 10:00 am for AC classes and 11:00 am for non‑AC; agents are barred during the first 30 minutes. First charts are prepared about four hours before departure; a second chart comes at least 30 minutes prior, when last‑minute berths often surface. Keep payment details handy, target pooled quotas, and watch alternate boarding points within city limits.
Bengaluru, Chennai and Mumbai riders should monitor midday advisories. Southern Railway has notified 112 Onam special trips across zones, with periodic coach additions based on crowding. Chennai Egmore access changes begin next week for redevelopment, so allow buffer if interchanging. For LTT, Harbour line hops via Tilak Nagar reduce taxi dependence. These small tactics improve odds of a confirmed berth today. Safe travels and happy Onam.