Hazrat Nizamuddin–Thiruvananthapuram Rajdhani Express


The 12431 / 12432 Hazrat Nizamuddin–Thiruvananthapuram Rajdhani Express is a Rajdhani Express train service in India, connecting in the country capital New Delhi to, the capital of Kerala state. It is the Rajdhani Express with the longest route, covering in about 41 hours 30 mins running at average speed. In the Monsoon Season every year from 1st June to 31st October, this train follows a Monsoon Timetable aimed to ensure passenger safety & less operational problem due to landslides which are very common & quite frequent in occurrence in Konkan Railway route.
In Monsoon season the train takes 45 hrs 30 mins as 12431 Rajdhani Express covering running at average speed and takes 44 hrs 30 mins as 12432 Rajdhani Express covering running at average speed
The train number is 12431/12432 which runs only on Tuesday, Thursday & Friday from Thiruvananthapuram Central to Hazrat Nizamuddin also it reverse runs in Sunday, Tuesday & Wednesday from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Thiruvananthapuram Central. It connects the states of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan & New Delhi.

History

At the time of its introduction it was travelling from Kerala to New Delhi via Ernakulam, Erode, Chennai, Vijayawada, Nagpur, Bhopal, Jhansi & Agra having a longer time table. Timings were Nizamuddin 09.30 am, Agra 11.44 am, Jhansi 14.25 pm, Bhopal 18.05 pm, Nagpur 23.40 pm, Vijayawada 09.25 am, Chennai arrival 15.25 pm & departure 15.55 pm, Katpadi passing 17.39 pm, Erode 21.24 pm, Ernakulam 02.25 am, Thiruvananthapuram 06.10 am. In return timings were Thiruvananthapuram 18.35 pm, Ernakulam 22.25 pm, Erode 03.31 am, Chennai arrival 08.45 am & departure 09.10 am, Vijayawada 15.20 pm, Nagpur 01.05 pm, Bhopal 06.40 am, Jhansi 10.20 am, Agra 12.59 am, Nizamuddin 15.15 pm. It used to cover in 44 hrs 40 mins running at average speed. Until 1998, there were only three Rajdhani Express from Delhi to South India. Trivandrum Rajdhani Express was a weekly train back then having rake sharing agreement with weekly Bangalore Rajdhani Express. But after 1 April 1998, following opening of Konkan Railway it got permanently re-routed via Kota, Vadodara, Vasai, Panvel, Ratnagiri, Madgaon, Karwar, Udupi, Mangalore, Kannur, Kozhikode,, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Alappuzha & Kollam route. The timings after permanent diversion in Konkan Railway were Nizamuddin 09.45 am; Kota 14.55 pm; Vadodara 21.41 pm; Vasai Road 01.16 am; Panvel 02.35 am; Ratnagiri 07.15 am; Madgaon 10.35 am; Karwar 11.38 am; Udupi 14.20 pm, Mangalore 15.45 pm, Shoranur 21.20 pm; Ernakulam 23.30 pm; Alappuzha 00.30 am; Kollam 02.00 am, Thiruvananthapuram 03.15 am. Return timings were Thiruvananthapuram 18.35 pm; Kollam 19.43 pm; Alappuzha 21.12 pm; Ernakulam 22.15 pm; Shoranur 00.15 am; Mangalore 05.45 am; Udupi 06.59 am; Karwar 09.45 am; Madgaon 10.55 am; Ratnagiri 14.10 pm; Panvel 18.50 pm; Vasai Road 20.10 pm; Vadodara 00.55 am; Kota 07.05 am; Nizamuddin 12.05 pm; Later owing to bad timings, in 1999 timings were changed to Nizamuddin 11.15 am; Kota 16.25 pm; Vadodara 22.58 pm; Vasai Road 03.33 am; Panvel 04.53 am; Ratnagiri 09.35 am; Madgaon 12.53 am; Karwar 13.55 am; Udupi 16.38 pm, Mangalore 18.03 pm, Shoranur 23.03 pm; Ernakulam 01.13 pm; Alappuzha 02.13 am; Kollam 03.40 am, Thiruvananthapuram 04.45 am. Return timings were made Thiruvananthapuram 19.20 pm; Ernakulam 23.00 pm; Mangalore 06.20 am; Madgaon 11.30 am; Panvel 19.25 pm; Vadodara 01.25 am; Kota 07.50 am; Nizamuddin 12.50 pm.
In initial days the train had very few stops. Until 1999 it was the one-stop Rajdhani between Panvel and Hazrat Nizamuddin stopping at Vadodara only. Thereafter stop of Kota was introduced in this section. Despite this the train runs non-stop between and section, which is the longest non-stop run in the country. But from 2022 it was provided stoppage at, this making it to loose the name longest non-stop train.
It has a record for the highest section speed, reaching between Ratnagiri and Sawantwadi Road. It also gets a top speed of between Nagda and Hazrat Nizamuddin. It moves at an average speed of between Nizamuddin and Thiruvananthapuram. In the Monsoon Season every year from 1st June to 31st October, all the trains in Konkan Railway route follows a Monsoon Timetable to ensure passenger safety & less operational problem due to landslides which are very common & quite frequent in occurrence.
Till the introduction of Madgaon Rajdhani Express in 2015, this was the sole Rajdhani Express that traversed through Konkan Railway.

Coach composition

The Thiruvananthapuram Rajdhani generally has Two AC 1st Class, 3 AC 2 tier, 12 AC 3 tier coaches, 1 pantry car, and 2 luggage cum generator coaches making a total of 23 LHB coach. Back in 1995, the train had 11 coaches only.
It shares its rakes with Chennai Rajdhani Express, Secunderabad Rajdhani Express and Madgaon Rajdhani Express. Earlier, it also shared its rake with the Bangalore Rajdhani Express.

Coach position

This coach positioning is for 12431 at Thiruvananthapuram Central.
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WAP 7EOGH2H1A5A4A3A2A1PCB12B11B10B9B8B7B6B5B4B3B2B1EOG

Rake sharing with

Route

Route and halts

Kerala
  1. Thiruvananthapuram Central
  2. Kollam Junction
  3. Alappuzha
  4. Ernakulam Junction
  5. Thrissur
  6. Shoranur Junction
  7. Kozhikode
  8. Kannur
  9. Kasaragod
Karnataka
  1. Mangaluru Junction
  2. Udupi
  3. Karwar
Goa
  1. Madgaon Junction
Maharashtra
  1. Ratnagiri
  2. Panvel
  3. Vasai Road
Gujarat
  1. Surat
  2. Vadodara Junction
Madhya Pradesh
  1. Ratlam Junction
Rajasthan
  1. Kota Junction
Delhi
  1. Hazrat Nizamuddin

Abstract 12431/12432 Normal Time Table

Up Direction:-
Station codeStation nameArrivalDeparture
TVCThiruvananthapuram Central19.15
QLNKollam Junction20.1620.19
ERSErnakulam Junction22.4522.55
SRRShoranur Junction00:5501.00
MAJNMangaluru Junction05.5506.05
MAOMadgaon Junction11.0011.10
PNVLPanvel Junction19.0019.05
BSRVasai Road20.1520.20
STSurat23.2023.24
BRCVadodara Junction00.5001.00
RTMRatlam Junction04.0004.03
KOTAKota Junction07.1807.28
NZMHazrat Nizamuddin12:45

Down direction:-
Station codeStation nameArrivalDeparture
NZMHazrat Nizamuddin06:15
KOTAKota Junction11.0511.15
RTMRatlam Junction14.1414.17
BRCVadodara Junction17.3017.40
STSurat19.0619.10
BSRVasai Road22.1022.15
PNVLPanvel Junction23.3023.35
MAOMadgaon Junction07.2507.35
MAJNMangaluru Junction12.3512.45
SRRShoranur Junction17:4017.45
ERSErnakulam Junction19.4519.55
QLNKollam Junction22.2422.27
TVCThiruvananthapuram Central23.45

Abstract 12431/12432 Monsoon Timetable

Up Direction:-
Station codeStation nameArrivalDeparture
TVCThiruvananthapuram Central14.45
QLNKollam Junction15.5415.57
ERSErnakulam Junction18.2518.35
SRRShoranur Junction20:3520.40
MAJNMangaluru Junction01.3501.45
MAOMadgaon Junction07.0007.10
PNVLPanvel Junction16.5517.00
BSRVasai Road18.1518.20
STSurat21.5322.02
BRCVadodara Junction23.3023.40
RTMRatlam Junction03.0003.03
KOTAKota Junction06.5007.00
NZMHazrat Nizamuddin12:15

Down direction:-
Station codeStation nameArrivalDeparture
NZMHazrat Nizamuddin06:15
KOTAKota Junction11.1011.20
RTMRatlam Junction14.4114.44
BRCVadodara Junction17.5618.06
STSurat19.3419.42
BSRVasai Road23.1523.20
PNVLPanvel Junction00.3500.40
MAOMadgaon Junction10.1010.20
MAJNMangaluru Junction15.3515.45
SRRShoranur Junction20:4520.50
ERSErnakulam Junction22.5023.00
QLNKollam Junction01.2801.31
TVCThiruvananthapuram Central02.45

Traction

Prior to electrification of Konkan railways, this train was hauled by WDP3A/WDP4D from Thiruvananthapuram Central to Vadodara Junction and then by WAP-7 of Vadodara shed till Hazrat Nizamuddin. With the electrification of Konkan railways, the train is end-to-end hauled by WAP-7 of Ghaziabad/Tuglakabad/Vadodara shed.

Incidents

On 18 October 2018, two coaches of TVC Rajdhani derailed at a staffed level crossing at Thandla Road railway station near Ratlam when a truck rammed into the train. There were no injuries to train passengers but the truck driver was killed due to the collision. The train continued its journey after a delay of 7 hours towards New Delhi.