New superfast Hapa-Tirunelveli train already popular

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Apr 2: Although the new weekly superfast train between Hapa and Tirunelveli is not yet launched, it has already become popular. Passengers have already booked tickets for over a month. Berths have been booked for a few days in June too. Even the Tatkal tickets, available for just 2 days before the journey, have been booked for the train’s first journey, which is scheduled for Friday. The above information was revealed by the Internet reservation portal ircitc.co.in on Thursday. 

A Southern Railway press release states that the Hapa - Thirunelveli Express (train nom. 2998) is scheduled to leave Hapa at 9:15 p.m. on Fridays and to reach Tirunelveli Junction at 5:30 p.m. on Sundays. The Tirunelveli - Hapa Express (train no. 2997) will start at 5:45 a.m. from Tirunelveli Junction on Mondays and will reach Hapa at 2 a.m. on Wednesdays. 

The Hapa - Tirunelveli Express will arrive at Mangalore at 2:10 a.m. and depart from the Mangalore Junction at 2:20 a.m. on Sundays, while its pairing train will leave Mangalore at 8:45 p.m. on Mondays. 

The Southern Railways had initially announced that the train would run twice a week; however, later it issued a press note saying that the train will run only once a week. 

The train is scheduled to stop at Nagercoil Town, Thirvananthapuram, Kollam, Kayamkulam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam Junction, Aluva, Thrissur, Shoranur Junction, Kozhikoke, Kannur, Kasargod, Mangalore Junction, Udupi, Karwar, Madgaon, Ratnagiri, Panvel, Vasai Road, Vapi, Surat, Ankleshwar, Surendra Nagar Junction, and Rajkot. It will have an AC 3-tier coach, 8 sleepers, 6 general coaches, and 2 luggage vans.