Southern Railway announces Pongal 2026 special trains from January 8 to 21: What you need to know

Southern Railway introduces multiple special trains from January 8 to 21, 2026, to handle the heavy passenger rush during Pongal across Tamil Nadu and neighbouring States.

• Southern Railway to run special trains for Pongal from Jan 8 to Jan 21, 2026
• Advance booking for Pongal trains opened on Jan 4 via IRCTC and counters
• Tamil Nadu to review deployment of special buses for festival travel on Jan 6

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To manage the massive passenger rush expected during the Pongal festival, Southern Railway has announced the operation of multiple special trains across Tamil Nadu and neighbouring States. The announcement was made through an official release on January 3, 2026, ahead of one of South India’s busiest travel periods.

The Pongal special trains will run from January 8 to January 21, 2026, ensuring smoother connectivity for thousands of passengers travelling to their hometowns for the harvest festival, which is traditionally celebrated on January 15.

Key Routes Covered by Pongal Special Trains

The special services will connect several high-demand destinations across Southern India, including Nagercoil, Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Rameswaram, Coimbatore, Podanur, Erode, Sengottai, and Mangaluru.

These trains will operate to and from major terminals such as Tambaram, Dr MGR Chennai Central, and Chennai Egmore, providing vital links for festival travellers heading out of Chennai and returning after Pongal.

List of Major Superfast and Express Pongal Special Trains

Southern Railway has scheduled several Superfast and Express special services during peak travel dates:

Train No. 06012/06011

Nagercoil–Tambaram–Kanniyakumari Superfast Special

Running on: January 11, 12, 18 and 19

Train No. 06054/06053

Kanniyakumari–Tambaram–Nagercoil Express Special

Running on: January 13, 14, 20 and 21

Train No. 06156/06155 & 06158/06157

Tirunelveli–Chengalpattu Superfast Specials

Running on: January 9, 10, 16 and 17

Train No. 06034/06033

Coimbatore–Dr MGR Chennai Central Express Special

Running on: January 11, 12, 18 and 19

Additional special services include:

06070/06069 Tirunelveli–Chennai Egmore Superfast Special

06126/06125 Mangaluru–Dr MGR Chennai Central Express Special

06025/06026 Erode–Sengottai–Podanur Express Special

06106/06105 Rameswaram–Tambaram Special

Pongal Special Train Booking Details

Southern Railway confirmed that advance reservations for all Pongal special trains opened at 8:00 am on January 4, 2026.

Passengers can book tickets through:

• The IRCTC website.
• The IRCTC Rail Connect mobile app.
• Physical railway reservation counters.

Travellers are advised to check train numbers, departure timings, and boarding stations carefully, as several special trains are scheduled during late-night or early-morning hours to optimise track availability.

Additional Transport Arrangements During Pongal

Pongal is known for triggering one of the largest seasonal migrations in South India, especially from Chennai and other urban centres. In addition to the rail services, the Tamil Nadu government is scheduled to hold a high-level review meeting on January 6 to finalise the deployment of special buses for festival travel.

Railway officials have also reminded passengers to use the IRCTC portal and mobile app for real-time seat availability, noting that special fare trains may have different pricing structures compared to regular express services.

Passengers planning Pongal travel are encouraged to book early, as festival-season demand remains exceptionally high.