Coimbatore–Rameswaram Express

Coimbatore–Rameswaram Express
	Inauguration ceremony of Coimbatore Rameswaram Express at Coimbatore Junction
Overview
Service type	Express
Locale	Tamil Nadu
First service	17 September 2013
Current operator(s)	Southern Railways
Route
Termini	Coimbatore city Junction; Rameswaram
Stops	14
Distance travelled	507.5 km (315.3 mi)
Average journey time	11 hours 40 minutes
Service frequency	Weekly
Train number(s)	16617/16618
On-board services
Class(es)	AC Two Tier, AC Three Tier, Sleeper Class, General Unreserved, SLR.
Seating arrangements	Yes
Sleeping arrangements	Yes
Catering facilities	No
Technical
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Electrification	25kV
Operating speed	46 km/h (29 mph) average with halts
Rake maintenance	Coimbatore Junction
Rake sharing	Rajkot–Coimbatore Express

Coimbatore–Rameswaram express (Train Nos 16617/16618) is an express weekly train run by Indian Railways between Coimbatore city Junction and Rameswaram. The train made its inaugural run on 17 September 2013.

History

This train is mainly introduce to compensate the Coimbatore Rameswaram daily Meter Gauge express via Madurai, Pollachi since this train has been discontinued due to gauge conversion of dindigul-pollachi line. Though gauge conversion completed, it never restored till date (but ran as a limited run festival special train after gauge conversion for a period of 1 month). So this train(16617/16618) will run to compensate the Meter Gauge express.^[1]

This train was initially operated as a summer special service from April to June 2012 on Saturdays and Sundays in the number 06010 and 06009 by using the lie over rakes of Kongu Express. But during regularisation of this summer special service, Rajkot express lie-over rakes were allotted due to which the weekend service has been turned into week days service.^[2]^[3]^[4]

Several stoppages has been removed for this train after COVID lockdown run but only Sivaganga stoppage alone provided again after restoration of regular service from COVID special service.

Service and schedule

The train starts on Tuesdays from Coimbatore and on Wednesdays from Rameswaram, covering the total distance of 507.5 kilometres (315.3 mi) in approximately 12 hours.

Route and stations

This train passes through 14 intermediate stations including Erode, Karur, Tiruchirappalli, Pudukkottai, Karaikkudi, Devakottai Road, Sivaganga and Manamadurai. Previously this train also had stoppages at Kallal, Chettinad and Kodumudi.