Amritha Express

Amritha Express is an overnight express train operated by the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways between Thiruvananthapuram Central in Kerala, and Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu.

Background
It was introduced in January 2001 by the then Railway Minister O. Rajagopal, from Thiruvananthapuram Central to Palakkad Town. This train is named after Mata Amritanandamayi, a well known spiritual leader. At first, the train used to run between Thiruvananthapuram Central to Palakkad, then extended up to Pollachi later extended to Madurai Junction. It starts from Thiruvananthapuram Central, runs via Kollam Junction, Kayamkulam Junction, Tiruvalla, Changanasseri, Kottayam, Ernakulam Town, Aluva, Thrissur, Ottapalam, Palakkad Junction, Palakkad Town, Kollengode, Pollachi Junction, Udumalaipettai, Palani, Dindigul Junction, then reaches Madurai Junction the next day.

History
It was first introduced as Thiruvananthapuram Central–Palakkad Town Amritha Express, via Shoranur Junction. Later, from November 2015, it had been extended and operated as a special express between Palakkad Town and Pollachi Junction.

Then, from 1 November 2017, Amritha Express was extended to Madurai Junction with new stops at Kollengode, Pollachi, Udumalaipettai, Palani, Oddanchatram and Dindigul Junction by withdrawing stoppage at Shoranur Junction. Starting from 16 November 2011, at Shoranur Junction, eight coaches from Nilambur Road was linked with Amritha Express and ran as Thiruvananthapuram Central–Madurai Junction Amritha Express / Thiruvananthapuram Central–Nilambur Road Rajya Rani Express. On 5 May 2019, the link express from Nilambur Road was discontinued permanently, and both the trains ran as an independent train. Also Amritha Express was diverted to run via Palakkad Junction–Ottapalam–Thrissur instead of Palakkad Junction–Shoranur Junction–Ottapalam–Thrissur. Therefore, Amritha Express will not touch Shoranur Junction, instead it will bypass Shoranur Junction.

The link train Rajya Rani Express has got independent coaches and will run with new terminal from Kochuveli to Nilambur Road.

Locomotive
Starting from September 24, 2022, this train will be converted from Diesel locomotive journey to a fully complete Electric locomotive journey since the Palakkad-Dindigul line got completely electrified and CRS Inspection was successfully completed.

Timings
This train is a daily service train with the following departures and arrivals at some of these stations:-

Coach composition

 * 1 AC Two Tier,
 * 2 AC Three Tier,
 * 14 Sleeper class,
 * 3 General Unreserved,
 * 2 Luggage cum Disabled coach.