On Saturday, September 2, the Thiruvananthapuram Rajdhani Express, connecting Kerala’s capital to South Delhi’s Hazrat-Nizamuddin, is set to lose its special status. This tri-weekly train (train no: 12431/12432) has held the title of India’s longest ‘non-stop train,’ covering the 528 km stretch between Vadodara and Kota in 6 hours and 45 minutes without any stops. However, the Indian Railways recently made a decision to introduce an experimental stop at Ratlam junction in Madhya Pradesh.
As the Rajdhani Express departs Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday, it will reach Ratlam on September 2 at 3.47 am, marking the end of its non-stop journey at 258 km. Remarkably, the distance between Vadodara and Kota (528 km) almost matches the entire Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod railway stretch (587 km). In comparison, the Vande Bharat train between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod, which makes stops at seven stations, covers the distance in 7 hours and 12 minutes.
A senior official from the Thiruvananthapuram division explained that the rationalization of train timetables and stops by the Railways was prompted by factors such as passenger demand, input from people’s representatives, peak-hour congestion, and revenue generation at stations and from train services. It’s worth noting that passengers and representatives from the Malwa region had long been requesting a stop for the Thiruvananthapuram Rajdhani Express.
With this change, the Mumbai-New Delhi-Mumbai Rajdhani Express will become India’s longest non-stop train. Between New Delhi and Kota Junction, the Mumbai Rajdhani will cover a distance of 465 km non-stop in 5 hours and 10 minutes. The Railways plans to make the temporary stop at Ratlam permanent if it attracts more passengers, which would benefit travelers from Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and those commuting between Ratlam and Delhi.
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