Starting January 3, the Chennai-Mysuru Intercity Express will be downgraded from a superfast to an ordinary express, following approval from the Railway Board and the South Western Railway (SWR). This shift comes after a gradual increase in stoppages, which has significantly reduced the train’s speed.
This reclassification is part of a wider initiative by the Indian Railways to reassess trains that cannot maintain an average speed of 55 km/h, the required benchmark for the superfast category. The slowdowns are primarily due to additional halts introduced over time to accommodate requests from passengers, MPs, MLAs, and local trade bodies.
Sources revealed that four other trains operated by Southern Railway will also face a similar downgrade next month, resulting in lower ticket prices. For the Chennai-Mysuru Intercity Express, passengers in second sitting and chair car classes will see fare reductions of Rs 15 and Rs 45, respectively. Additionally, commuters in districts like Tirupattur, Vellore, and Ranipet, which see significant footfall, will benefit from express season tickets that are Rs 150 cheaper than the current superfast season fares.
The train, previously numbered 12609/12610, will be renumbered to 16551/16552, effective from January 3. Currently, it departs from Chennai Central at 1:35 pm, reaches Bengaluru at 7:55 pm, and Mysuru by 10:50 pm, with 23 halts. The total distance of 497 km is covered in about 9 hours and 15 minutes, with an average speed of 54 km/h. Initially running between Chennai and Bengaluru, it was extended to Mysuru in 2019.
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