Chengannur railway station

Chengannur railway station (station code: CNGR ) is an NSG–3 category Indian railway station in Thiruvananthapuram railway division of Southern Railway zone. It is located in Chengannur town of Kerala. It is one of the busiest stations in the Thiruvananthapuram Central–Kollam Junction–Kottayam–Ernakulam route, primarily due to the Sabarimala pilgrims. Chengannur railway station mainly serves the people of Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta district.

History
Chengannur rail link came into existence in 1958 when Ernakulam–Kottayam metre-gauge railway line was extended to Kollam Junction. The railway line between Trivandrum Central and Ernakulam Junction via Kottayam was converted to broad gauge in 1976.

Significance
Chengannur railway station is the nearest rail station to reach famous pilgrimage places like Sabarimala, Pandalam, Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple, Parumala Church, Maramon and Manjinikkara Monastery .It is also the nearest railway station of 4 of the 5 Pancha Pandava Temples and Pandavanpara. The railway station has been declared as 'Gateway of Sabarimala' by Indian Railways in 2009. It serves the people of 4 districts - Alappuzha, Kollam, Pathanamthitta and Kottayam. The proposed Sabari Airport Cheruvally, Erumeli is 36 km from the station. Chengannur Railway station is the nearest railway station of The proposed Sabari Airport Cheruvally.

Major Trains Halting at Chengannur

 * Thiruvananthapuram - Kasaragod Vande Bharat Express.

Facilities
Cloak room

IRCTC restaurant

Wi-Fi connectivity

Computerized Reservation counter

Information counter

Foot over bridge (2 no's)

Subway

Escalator

Lift (at platform no: 1)

2nd class waiting room at Platform no: 1

Shelters for Sabarimala pilgrims

Prepaid auto – taxi counter

prepaid vehicle parking area

AC waiting room - paid (30/- per hour)

24 hrs. KSRTC bus to Pamba during Sabarimala Pilgrim Season and also at 1st & last day of every Malayalam month

Future expansion plans
A new line linking Chengannur with Thiruvananthapuram Central via Pandalam, Kottarakkara Kilimanoor and Nedumangad is awaiting approval from the Planning Commission.

Another line to Pampa via Pathanamthitta has also been proposed. After the new line materializes, there would be stations at Pandalam, Kottarakkara,

A sub-urban service connecting Chengannur to Trivandrum is under consideration.

New elevated rail line between chengannur and pamba is under process. An elevated rail line that can take Sabarimala pilgrims from Chengannur to Pampa in around 40 minutes. With the railway ministry giving green signal for the 60km project’s final location survey, a hassle-free journey through the scenic forest could become a reality in a few years.

The proposed railway line is likely to pass through places including Chengannur municipal council, Mallapuzhassery, Aranmula, Kozhencherry, Cherukol, Vadasserikara, Ranni, Keekozhoor, Seethathode, Athikkayam and Perunad.