Travel between Chennai and Kerala is expected to get busier as the festival season approaches, and Southern Railway is adding more trains to handle the rush. The new Chennai-Kollam special trains will run on selected dates in October 2026, offering more options around Gandhi Jayanti and the Pooja holidays.
These additional services are useful not only to passengers traveling between Chennai and Kollam. With stops at Palakkad, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Kottayam, and several other stations on the Chennai-Kerala route, people heading to different parts of Kerala can also use them. Reservations opened at 8 am on September 23.
When Will Train 06117 Run From Chennai To Kollam?
The Chennai Egmore-Kollam special train, Train No. 06117, will leave Chennai Egmore at 11:40 pm on October 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29. It is scheduled to reach Kollam at 4:20 pm the following day. For the return journey, Train No. 06118 will leave Kollam at 6:45 pm on October 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30. It will arrive at Chennai Egmore at 12:30 pm the next day.
What Is The Schedule For Trains 06121 And 06122?
A second weekly service will operate on a different set of dates. Train No. 06121 will leave Chennai Egmore at 11:40 pm on October 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31. It will reach Kollam at 4:20 pm the following day. Train No. 06122 will make the return journey from Kollam at 6:45 pm on October 4, 11, 18, 25, and November 1. There is one important difference with this service. Instead of terminating at Chennai Egmore, the train will arrive at Dr MGR Chennai Central at 11:35 am the following day.
Where Will The Chennai-Kollam Special Trains Stop?
The special trains from Chennai to Kollam will stop at several stations across Tamil Nadu and Kerala. These include Perambur, Tiruvallur, Arakkonam, Katpadi, Jolarpettai, Salem, Erode, Tirupur, Podanur, Palakkad, Thrissur, Aluva, Ernakulam Town, Kottayam, Changanasseri, Thiruvalla, Chengannur, Mavelikara, and Kayamkulam.
This makes the services useful even for passengers who are not traveling all the way to Kollam. Those heading to places such as Thrissur, Ernakulam, Kottayam, or Chengannur for the holidays can get off at any stop along the Chennai-Kerala route without having to travel to the final station.
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When Can Passengers Book Tickets?
Reservations opened at 8 am on September 23, 2026. Since these Southern Railway special trains were announced for the October festival rush, passengers traveling close to the holiday dates may want to check seat availability early. The trains are reported to include AC First Class-cum-AC 2-Tier, AC 2-Tier, AC 3-Tier, Sleeper Class, and luggage-cum-brake van coaches.
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Summing Up
The Chennai-Kollam special trains will offer passengers more travel options during a busy month between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The late-night departures from Chennai Egmore may also suit those who prefer to begin their journey at the end of the day and travel overnight. The services are not limited to passengers heading to Kollam. With stops at Salem, Erode, Palakkad, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Chengannur, and other stations along the Chennai-Kerala route, they offer additional connections across much of the route.
