Kerala's Pongala festival: Full list of special trains, additional stops, new timings

Kerala's Pongala festival at Attukal Temple in Thiruvananthapuram is scheduled for March 3. The railways have put in place many special trains, additional stops, security arrangements and ticketing services for the day. Here are the details:

Thiruvananthapuram Central Station - platform allocation
On March 3, trains bound for Kollam will depart from Platforms 1, 2, 3, and 4, while trains bound for Nagercoil will depart from Platform 5.
Extra ticket counters
Additional ticket counters will be opened at the entry and exit points of the Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station. Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) and UTS-on-Mobile QR code counters will also be arranged on platforms. 

Security arrangements in place
The Railway Protection Force (RPF), along with the Government Railway Police (GRP), local police and other security personnel, will actively monitor passenger safety. The security team will also have medical and commercial personnel at important points to assist devotees.  
Special trains
Extra train services are to be operated between Ernakulam Junction and Thiruvananthapuram Central, and between Thiruvananthapuram Central and Nagercoil Junction on the Pongala day. They will also have extra stops. Here are the details.

Unreserved special trains
1)Thiruvananthapuram Central - Nagercoil Junction Unreserved Special (06121)
Departure time from TVM Central: March 2, 10.55 pm
Arrival at Nagercoil: 11.20 pm
Stops and timings (Arrival/Departure)
Neyyattinkara (9.17 pm/9.18 pm)
Parassala (9.30 pm/9.31 pm)
Kulitthurai (9.41 pm/9.42 pm) 
Eraniel (21.57 pm/9.58 pm)

2)Nagercoil Junction – Thiruvananthapuram Central Unreserved Special (06122)
Departure time from Nagercoil: March 3, 1.40 am
Arrival time at Thiruvananthapuram Central: 3.30 am
Stops and timings (Arrival/Departure) 
Nagercoil Town (1.52 am/1.53 am)
Viranailur (2.00 am/2.01 am)
Eraniel(2.08 am/2.09 am)
Palliyadi (2.16 am/2.17 am)
Kulitthurai (2.24 am/2.25 am)

Kulitthurai West (2.28 am/2.29 am)
Parassala (2.34 am/2.35 am)
Dhanuvachapuram (2.41 am/2.42 am)
Neyyattinkara (2.49 am/2.50 am)
Balaramapuram (2.55 am/2.56 am)

3) Ernakulam Junction – Thiruvananthapuram Central Special (06123)
Departure time from Ernakulam Junction: 1.20 am on March 3
Arrival time at Thiruvananthapuram Centre: 6.30 am
Stops and timings(Arrival/Departure)
Tripunithura (1.38 am/1.39 am)
Mulanturutti (1.49 am/1.50 am)
Piravom Road (2.01 am/2.02 am)
Vaikom Road (2.09 am/2.10 am)
Ettumanur (2.24 am/2.25 am)
Kumaranallur (2.31 am/2.32 am)
Kottayam (2.37 am/2.39 am)

Changanassery (2.54 am/2.55 am)
Tiruvalla (3.03 am/3.04 am)
Chengannur (3.12 am/3.13 am)
Cheriyanad (3.17 am/3.18 am)
Mavelikara (3.23 am/3.24 am)
Kayankulam (3.32 am/3.34 am)
Ochira (3.42 am/3.43 am)

Karunagappalli (3.51 am/3.52 am)
Sasthankotta (4.01 am/4.02 am)
Munroturuttu (4.07 am/4.08 am)
Perinad (4.14 am/4.15 am)
Kollam (4.26 am/4.30 am)
Mayyanad (4.38 am/4.39 am)

Paravur (4.43 am/4.44 am)
Varkala Sivagiri (4.54 am/4.55 am)
Kadakavur (5.05 am/5.06 am)
Chirayinkeezhu (5.10 am/5.11 am)
Murukkampuzha (5.20 am/5.21 am)
Kaniyapuram (5.25 am/5.26 am) 
Kazhakkuttam (5.31 am/5.32 am)
Thiruvananthapuram Pettah (5.45 am/5.46 am)

4) Thiruvananthapuram Central – Ernakulam Junction Special(06123) 
Departure time from Thiruvananthapuram Central: 3.10 pm
Arrival time at Ernakulam Junction: 8.15 pm
Stops and timings
Kazhakuttam (3.35 pm/3.36 pm)
Kaniyapuram (3.40 pm/3.41 pm)
Murukkampuzha (3.46 pm/3.47 pm)
Chirayinkeezhu (3.55 pm/3.56 pm), 
Kadakavur (3.59 pm/4 pm)
Varkala Sivagiri (4.09 pm/4.10 pm)
Paravur (4.21 pm/4.22 pm)
Mayyanad (4.25 pm/4.26 pm)

Kollam (4.35 pm/4.38 pm)
Perinad (4.49 pm/4.50 pm)
Munroturuttu (4.55 pm/4.56 pm)
Sasthankotta (5.02 pm/5.03 pm)
Karunagappalli (5.13 pm/5.14 pm)
Ochira (5.23 pm/5.24 pm)

Kayankulam (5.33 pm/5.35 pm)
Mavelikara (5.43 pm/5.44 pm)
Cheriyanad (5.49 pm/5.50 pm)
Chengannur (5.55 pm/5.56 pm)
Tiruvalla (6.05 pm/6.06 pm)
Changanassery (6.14 pm/6.15 pm)
Kottayam (6.29 pm/6.32 pm)

Kumaranallur (6.36 pm/6.37 pm)
Ettumanur (6.43 pm/6.44 pm)
Vaikom Road (6.57 pm/6.58 pm)
Piravom Road (7.05 pm/7.06 pm)
Mulanturutti (7.17 pm/7.18 pm) 
Tripunithura (7.28 pm/7.29 pm)

5) Thiruvananthapuram Central – Ernakulam Junction Unreserved Express Special via Alappuzha (06124)
Departure time from Thiruvananthapuram Central: 2.40 pm on March 3
Arrival time at Ernakulam Junction: 7.10 pm
Stops and timings (Arrival/Departure)
Kazhakuttam (2.54 pm/2.55 pm)
Kaniyapuram (2.59 pm/3.00 pm)
Chirayinkeezh (3.09 pm/3.10 pm)
Kadakkavoor (3.13 pm/3.14 pm)
Varkala Sivagiri (3.25 pm/3.26 pm)
Paravur (3.37 pm/3.38 pm)

Mayyanad (3.41 pm/3.42 pm)
Kollam (3.50 pm/3.53 pm)
Perinad (4.03 pm/4.04 pm)
Munroturuttu (4.09 pm/4.10 pm)
Sasthankotta (4.15 pm/4.16 pm)
Karunagapally (4.26 pm/4.27 pm)
Ochira (4.35 pm/4.36 pm)
Kayankulam Halt (4.45 pm/4.47 pm)

Cheppad Halt (4.52 pm/4.53 pm)
Haripad (4.59 pm/5 pm)
Ambalappuzha (5.18 pm/5.19 pm)
Alappuzha (5.29 pm/5.31 pm)
Mararikulam (5.43 pm/5.44 pm)
Cherthala (5.54 pm/5.55 pm)
Turavur (6.05 pm/6.06 pm) 
Kumbalam (6.22 pm/6.23 pm)

Extra stops (Arrival and Departure)
1) Thiruvananthapuram Central – Dr MGR Chennai Central Superfast Express (12624)
a) Kazhakuttam (3.14 pm/3.15 pm) 
b) Chirayinkeezhu (3.26 pm/3.27 pm)
2) Madurai – Punalur Express (16729)
a) Palliyadi (4.57 am/4.58 am) 
b) Balaramapuram (5.39 am/5.40 am) 
3) Rameswaram – Thiruvananthapuram Central Amrita Express (16344) leaving Rameswaram on March 2
a) Chirayinkeezhu (03.25 am/3.26 am)

4) Kannur – Thiruvananthapuram Central Jan Shatabdi Express (12081) leaving Kannur on March 3, 2026 
a) Thiruvananthapuram Pettah (1.10 pm/1.11 pm)
5) Mangaluru Central – Thiruvananthapuram Central Vande Bharat Express (20631) leaving Mangaluru Central on March 3, 2026 
a) Thiruvananthapuram Pettah (2.25 pm/2.26 pm)

Rescheduled trains
1) Thiruvananthapuram Central – Hazrat Nizamuddin Express (12643 ) scheduled to depart at 2.15 pm on March 3
New timing: 2.30 pm(15 minutes late)
2) Thiruvananthapuram North – Nagercoil Passenger (56310 ) scheduled to depart Thiruvananthapuram North at 1.25 pm on March 3
New timing: 1.40 pm (15 minutes late)
New departure timing from Thiruvananthapuram Central: 2.40 pm (1 hour late)

3) Kollam – Kanniyakumari MEMU (66306)scheduled to depart Kollam at 11.35 am on March 3 
New timing: 12.50 pm (1 hour 15 minutes late)
New departure timing from Thiruvananthapuram Central: 1.09 pm (3.20 pm)(2 hours 11 minutes late) 
4) Nagercoil – Kottayam Express (16366) scheduled to depart Thiruvananthapuram Central at 2.35 pm on March 3 
New timing: 3.20 pm(45 minutes late)

Safety guidelines
1) Hearths are not allowed around railway premises
2) Crowding or sitting on platforms or foot over bridges is not allowed
3) Crossing tracks at the station is not allowed. Foot over bridges should be used
4) Follow the instructions of the RPF, police and railway officials