Special train from Chennai to Thiruvananthapuram from May 16

After Kollam-Sengottai railway line was converted into a broad gauge, the southern railway has announced a special train service through this line from Thiruvananthapuram to Chennai.A summer special train is being launched from Kochuveli to Tambaram through this route. This biweekly train service will start on May 16. Earlier there was a train service from Thiruvananthapuram to Chennai when this line was meter gauge.The Kollam-Sengottai route is considered as one of the most scenic railway routes in the country, the stretch was the sole gateway between Kerala and Tamil Nadu through Tirunelveli. The 112-year-old Kollam-Sengottai metre gauge section was one among the oldest lines of the railways which was dismantled in 2010 for gauge conversion. The gauge conversion was delayed owing to the unique topographical challenges it posed. The route goes through hills, caves, and also passes through an iconic century-old 13-arch bridge in Thenmala.