South Central Railway has announced the regularisation of the Tiruchi–Charlapalli weekly special train, converting it into a permanent express service. The train will run under new numbers, 17077 from Charlapalli and 17078 from Tiruchi Junction, with regular operations beginning July 7, 2026.
The Charlapalli–Tiruchi direction will launch on Tuesday, July 7, while the return service from Tiruchi Junction will commence on Wednesday, July 8. The express runs weekly in both directions.
Tiruchi–Charlapalli weekly special train: Route and Timings
The train operates over the Tiruchi–Villupuram chord line section. Departing Charlapalli every Tuesday at 5.20 p.m., it arrives at Tiruchi Junction the following evening at 6.45 p.m. on Wednesday. In the return direction, it departs Tiruchi Junction on Wednesdays at 9.30 p.m. and reaches Charlapalli at 9.30 p.m. on Thursday.
Scheduled halts include Srirangam, Ariyalur, Vriddhachalam, Villupuram, Tirukkovilur, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore Cantonment, Katpadi, Chittoor, Tirupati, Renigunta, Gudur, Nellore, Ongole, Chirala, Bapatla, Tenali, Guntur, Sattenapalle, Nadikude, Miryalaguda, and Nalgonda.
The rake composition includes three AC two-tier coaches, five AC three-tier coaches, ten sleeper class coaches, four general second class coaches, and two second class Divyangjan-friendly coaches.
Advance reservations from the Southern Railway end opened at 8 a.m. on May 26, according to a release from the Tiruchi Division.
What regularisation means for Tiruchi
The Tiruchi–Howrah Express runs bi-weekly, while the Tiruchi–Jodhpur and Tiruchi–Shri Gangapur Humsafar Express trains operate on a weekly basis. The Tiruchi–Thiruvananthapuram Intercity Express runs daily in both directions.
The regularisation of the Charlapalli service expands that roster with another weekly interstate connection, this time linking Central Tamil Nadu directly with Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
MP’s representations, and the road to regularisation
Tiruchi Lok Sabha MP Durai Vaiko, who represents the constituency under the Renaissance DMDK, welcomed the announcement on social media, thanking the Union Railway Ministry for accepting his representations.
In a post attributed to him, the MP said he had written separately to the Union Railway Minister on March 2, 2026, and to the Divisional Railway Manager, Tiruchi, on March 7, 2026, urging the Railway Ministry to convert the special train into a permanent service.
“From the day this service commenced, it has been receiving continuous positive reception and support from devotees, tourists, students, businesspeople, and the general public travelling between Central Tamil Nadu and the Hyderabad region,” Vaiko said in his statement.
He had argued that in the absence of any direct train connection between Tiruchi and Hyderabad, the special service had been effectively filling that gap. With the train consistently running at full occupancy, he had pressed the case for permanence, noting that formalising the service would benefit passengers and reinforce interstate connectivity.
A separate Tirupati–Charlapalli Express also regularised
In a related development, the Ministry of Railways has also approved the regularisation of Train Nos. 17443/17444, the Tirupati–Charlapalli Weekly Express, by converting the existing special train (Nos. 07002/07031) into a permanent service. The Tirupati–Charlapalli direction commences from May 28, 2026 (Thursday), while the return service from Charlapalli begins May 29, 2026 (Friday).
That train departs Tirupati at 4.30 p.m. on Thursdays and arrives at Charlapalli at 8.25 a.m. on Fridays. The return service leaves Charlapalli at 4.20 p.m. on Fridays and reaches Tirupati at 7.30 a.m. on Saturdays. Its rake includes one AC two-tier, three AC three-tier, fourteen sleeper, and four general second class coaches.