Four of Southern Railway’s seven Vande Bharat services start from Chennai: Chennai Central to Mysuru, Chennai Egmore to Tirunelveli, Chennai Central to Vijayawada and Chennai Egmore to Nagercoil, according to a DT Next report on the zone’s earnings in July 2026. The Chennai Central to Coimbatore Vande Bharat, the first linking two Tamil Nadu cities, has run since April 2023.
The trains are popular. Southern Railway’s Vande Bharat services earned Rs 162.96 crore from 15.21 lakh passengers in April and May 2026, up from Rs 119.52 crore a year earlier. That demand means seats on weekend and festival dates sell out early. Here is what runs, what is still only promised and how to book.
Vande Bharat trains from Chennai
| Route | Chennai terminal | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Chennai–Coimbatore | Central | Flagged off 8 April 2023; about 5 hours 50 minutes via Salem, Erode and Tiruppur |
| Chennai–Mysuru | Central | Southern Railway’s first Vande Bharat, from 2022, via Bengaluru |
| Chennai–Vijayawada | Central | Northbound day service into Andhra Pradesh |
| Chennai–Tirunelveli | Egmore | Southbound via Tiruchi and Madurai |
| Chennai–Nagercoil | Egmore | 726 km, 12 districts; details below |
The Coimbatore train’s time was cited as the fastest between the two cities when PM Narendra Modi flagged it off, saving more than an hour, PTI reported. It runs six days a week.
The Nagercoil train in detail
The Egmore–Nagercoil Vande Bharat covers 726 km within Tamil Nadu and serves 12 districts, including Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Tiruchi, Madurai, Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari, according to PIB. The Railway Board’s introduction circular gave this schedule:
- 20627 Chennai Egmore to Nagercoil: leaves 5 am, Tambaram 5.25 am, Tiruchi 9 am, Madurai 10.40 am, Tirunelveli 12.32 pm, reaches Nagercoil 1.50 pm.
- 20628 Nagercoil to Chennai Egmore: leaves 2.20 pm, Madurai 5.05 pm, Tiruchi 6.50 pm, Tambaram 10.30 pm, reaches Egmore 11 pm.
- Also stops at Villupuram, Dindigul and Kovilpatti. Runs six days a week, not on Wednesdays, with a 16-car rake.
The Tambaram stop matters for south Chennai residents, who can board without going to Egmore. Timings can be revised, so check the current schedule on the booking app before you travel.
What is promised but not yet running
Chennai–Rameswaram. Southern Railway planned a Vande Bharat to Rameswaram, over the new Pamban bridge, with roll-out “likely by September-October”, DT Next reported in July 2026. The final route had not been decided, and it depended on the redeveloped Rameswaram station being commissioned. As of 18 October no launch had been announced.
The 11 October visit. The projects the Prime Minister launched in Chennai on 11 October 2026 included the Karaikal–Peralam line, three rail flyovers around Coimbatore and five redeveloped Amrit Bharat stations, according to the PMO. No new Vande Bharat service was on the list.
Sleeper Vande Bharat. The overnight sleeper version has started on other routes in India, but no Chennai sleeper service had been announced by mid-October 2026.
How to book
- Book on IRCTC or the RailOne app, which now brings reserved and unreserved tickets together. Vande Bharat trains are fully reserved, with chair car and executive chair car classes.
- Book well ahead for Fridays, Sundays and festival weekends, since occupancy is high on these routes.
- Meals are offered as an option at booking on many Vande Bharat trains. Check the fare breakdown.
- Board from the right terminal. Mysuru, Coimbatore and Vijayawada trains leave from Central; Nagercoil and Tirunelveli trains leave from Egmore.
Note that the 3% RailOne discount the railways extended to March 2027 is for unreserved tickets, not reserved ones like Vande Bharat.
Is Vande Bharat worth it over a regular express?
For day trips of five to nine hours the answer is usually yes, if your dates are fixed. The trains are faster than most express services on the same routes, run in the daytime and have closed coaches with automatic doors, CCTV, rotating seats, braille seat numbers and accessible toilets, features listed when the Coimbatore train was launched. The trade-off is price, since Vande Bharat fares are generally higher than sleeper class on an ordinary express, and there is no overnight Vande Bharat from Chennai yet. For Madurai, Tirunelveli or Nagercoil, many families still prefer an overnight express that saves a hotel night.
If you are travelling with elderly parents, the early 5 am departure from Egmore means leaving home by about 4 am, while the late return into Egmore at 11 pm means a night ride home. Boarding or leaving at Tambaram can save an hour at each end for residents of south Chennai.
Quick answers
How many Vande Bharat trains run from Chennai?
Five routes: Coimbatore, Mysuru and Vijayawada from Central, and Tirunelveli and Nagercoil from Egmore.
What time does the Chennai–Nagercoil Vande Bharat leave?
Train 20627 leaves Egmore at 5 am and reaches Nagercoil at 1.50 pm, under the Railway Board circular.
Has the Chennai–Rameswaram Vande Bharat started?
Not as of 18 October 2026. It was expected around September or October but has not been announced.
Does the Nagercoil Vande Bharat stop at Tambaram?
Yes, in both directions.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- Introduction of Chennai Egmore–Nagercoil and Madurai–Bengaluru Vande Bharat, Commercial Circular 300 of 2024 (Railway Board)
- Vande Bharat trains flagged off, September 2024 (PIB)
- Southern Railway earns Rs 43.44 crore more from Vande Bharat services in April-May 2026 (DT Next)
- Chennai-Rameswaram Vande Bharat roll-out likely by September-October (DT Next)
- PM’s Chennai visit on 11 October 2026 (PMO)
- Modi in Chennai: Vande Bharat flagged off, new airport terminal (Tribune / PTI)
- Railways extends 3 per cent discount on Rail One app bookings (DT Next)
