Rani Chennamma Express

The Rani Chennamma Express is a most prestigious and popular train connecting Bengaluru, Capital of Karnataka,IT hub and Sangli, the Turmeric city and agriculture and industrial hub in southern Maharashtra, India.

Rani Chennamma Express is a daily train maintained by South Western Railway, Bangalore division which covers a distance of 756 km between Bengaluru(SBC) and Sangli(SLI). Before 13 March 2024,This train ran between Bengaluru and Miraj since meter guage era as Kittur Express

The train is well known as the Queen of the South Western Railways.

Route
Train 16590 Sangli-Bengaluru Rani Chennamma express train leaves Sangli at 15:00 pm, and reaches Bengaluru at 06:15 am the following day. Enroute the Rani Chennamma Express travels overnight to Hubballi-Dharwad, Gokak, and Belagavi from KSR Bengaluru, the capital city of Karnataka. Rani Chennamma Express is the fastest overnight train between Bangalore & Hubballi-Dharwad.

Train 16580 Bengaluru-Sangli Rani Chennamma express train leaves Bengaluru city station at 23 hours at night and reaches Sangli at 12:50 pm the next day. It reaches Hubballi by 6:00 am and Belagavi by 8:50 in morning.

It is the best train for people travelling from Sangli to Belagavi, Dharwad, Hubli, Bengaluru.

In addition to connecting the major cities of Maharashtra and Karnataka with Sangli, Miraj, Hubballi, Dharwad, Belagavi, Ranebennur, Haveri, Davangere, Kadur, Tiptur, and Tumkuru with Bengaluru.

The train serves the smaller towns of Alnavar, Khanapur, Gokak, Ghatprabha, Chinchli, Kudchi, and Raybag to Medical City, Miraj Jn.

Rani Chennamma Express is South India's second-busiest train, after the Chennai Egmore–Mangalore Central Express.

Traction
As the entire route yet to be fully electrified it is hauled by a Krishnarajapuram based WDP-4D or a Hubli based WDP-4D/WDP-4 on its entire journey.

Name and origin
The train is named after Rani (Queen) Chennamma who ruled Northern Karnataka during the early 19th century and is known for her freedom struggle to free her province from British rule.

Rani Chennamma's capital was at Kittur in Belagavi district.

Rani Chennamma express Express starts its journey from Sangli railway station which is globally famous as Turmeric City as it is one of the largest Turmeric Powder Trade Center. Sangli has several large Sugar factories and is referred as Sugar Belt. Sangli is also one of the largest market for grapes, raisins and jaggery in Western India. Due to this reason, people from major parts of Karnataka and Maharashtra visit Sangli.