Passengers planning trips to Kerala in the second half of August will have more train options, with special services announced on the Charlapalli-Kottayam and Bengaluru Cantonment-Kannur routes.
The additional trains will particularly benefit passengers travelling from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu towards Kerala. The services will operate on select dates between August 16 and August 31, 2026, according to information shared by Southern Railway.
Tickets for both sets of special services have already opened from the Southern Railway end.
Travelling from Charlapalli to Kottayam? Check these dates
Train No. 07197 Charlapalli-Kottayam Special will operate on three Sundays, August 16, 23 and 30.
The train will depart Charlapalli at 7:15 am and arrive at Kottayam at 12:25 pm the following day. A total of three services have been announced in this direction.
For the return journey, Train No. 07198 Kottayam-Charlapalli Special will operate on three Mondays, August 17, 24 and 31.
It will leave Kottayam at 4:45 pm and reach Charlapalli at 12:30 am on the third day. Three return services will be operated.
Advance reservations for these trains from the Southern Railway end opened at 2:15 pm on August 14.
Is your station covered on the Charlapalli-Kottayam route?
The route could be useful for passengers from several major cities and towns across the four southern states.
According to the route map released by the Railways, the train covers Charlapalli, Nalgonda, Miryalaguda, Guntur, Tenali, Bapatla, Chirala, Ongole, Nellore, Renigunta, Katpadi, Jolarpettai, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur, Podanur, Palakkad, Thrissur, Aluva and Ernakulam Town, before reaching Kottayam.
Bengaluru to Kannur special: When will it run?
Passengers travelling between Bengaluru and Kannur will also get an additional service.
Train No. 06567 Bengaluru Cantonment-Kannur Express Special will depart Bengaluru Cantonment at 10:30 pm on Thursday, August 20, and arrive at Kannur at 12:50 pm on August 21.
Train No. 06568 Kannur-Bengaluru Cantonment Express Special will make the return journey. It will leave Kannur at 4:10 pm on Friday, August 21, and reach Bengaluru Cantonment at 6:00 am on August 22.
One service will operate in each direction. Reservations from the Southern Railway end opened at 8:00 am on August 14.
What coaches will the Bengaluru-Kannur special have?
The Bengaluru Cantonment-Kannur special will have 16 Sleeper Class coaches, five General Second Class coaches and two luggage-cum-brake vans, according to the railway announcement.
Check the special train schedule before booking
| Train No. | Route | Departure | Arrival | Running Date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07197 | Charlapalli → Kottayam | 7:15 am | 12:25 pm, next day | August 16, 23 & 30 |
| 07198 | Kottayam → Charlapalli | 4:45 pm | 12:30 am, third day | August 17, 24 & 31 |
| 06567 | Bengaluru Cantt → Kannur | 10:30 pm | 12:50 pm, next day | August 20 |
| 06568 | Kannur → Bengaluru Cantt | 4:10 pm | 6:00 am, next day | August 21 |
The special services are intended to provide additional capacity during the extra passenger rush. Travellers should check the latest availability and train-running information through official Indian Railways channels before their journey.