India's Longest Train Route from Dibrugarh to Kanyakumari

Today, 19th November 2011, a new train is being inaugurated:

India's Longest Rail Route



The Vivek Express

My sympathies go out to anybody who gets decanted onto a station platform at 3.30 a.m after three and a half days on one train. I looked at the schedule and there don't seem to be many long stops to allow a traveller to get off and have a wander.

True, but with a train running for this distance (given that it's not a Rajdhani), I'm positive that it would be 6 am (minimum) before the train actually pulls into the final destination. Three and a half days on the same train would be quite torturous ....

'Tis an interesting route Theyyam, thanks for pointing it out

I've long been wanting to do Kanyakumari-Jammu Tawi; then finally looking up the route recently, I found out that where for years I'd somehow romantically pictured it to follow the west coast for a large part, say until past Mumbai, it goes inland rather, briefly touching the east coast even. Sort of took the romance out of it for me right there (I mean sitting on a train forever and seeing the parched landscape go by I kind of know by now.)

If I'm looking at the right trains here however, this one seems to follow the east coast, could be something.

It's not well-timed the other way around no, then again I guess few passengers will be taking it all the way, so it won't be geared to them.

Thanks for the article

Another special train is already there...
Dibrugarh-Cape Special...it takes 81 hrs 30 mins...
The train will run till 22 Nov....

Would be interesting to travel in this train but hope the railways include a Non AC first class in this train so that people who want to travel for the experience can travel in comfort & also feel the atmosphere with open windows.

Ronak.

Steven_Ber is going to have an orgasm when he hears the news!

Mweh, I think even Steve is not so big no mo' on them lengthy train rides

But let him answer, I think he's about leaving for there just now. Rather the contained trip btw I believe; he's trying to look after a woman, as well he should.

I took the train from Ernakulam to Varanasi in 2009 (original route Trivandrum to Patna), we ended up three hours delayed and arrived in Varanasi seven in the morning instead of four. So I guess you can count on getting at least four-five hours delayed on this one.

Wow, kudos to Indian Railways :-) Connecting the NE and the SW and winding up at the southern Trip.

Another reason to be proud of our railways!


Shall we say, Steven_Ber will be ecstatic ?!

Frankly, I don't see who else it would be geared to, if anybody! Such trains would be very low on my priority list if I were to travel part of the same route. For a number of reasons.

There would quite possibly be many other options available with shorter distance trains serving my purpose much better. Compared to such trains,

• It is much more likely to be delayed in arriving at either of my stations.

• It is much more likely to be dirtier (toilets and otherwise) unless I start near the origin.

• The timings could often be much more inconvenient.

• Similar long-distance trains usually have a lesser frequency, and get booked up quite early (yes, -- by people travelling end-to-end).

I don't see why I'd even consider such trains for intermediate-distance travel (unless I'm left with no other options).
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Longest train service in India
It is a moment of great pride and sense of jubilation , longest train from dibrugarh (assam) to kanyakumari (tamil nadu) started its journey on 19.11.2011 covering the distance of 4286 kms and takes 82.30 hrs . All the people involved in this project deserves our highest appreciation and praise.It is a step ahead towards bringing people of the country more closer to each other and to deliver fruits of developments to far flung areas of the land.
North east region is full of energetic and friendly people. The countryside is covered with natural greenbelt with full of wildlife . It is not only mighty Brahmaputra river but number of tributaries and natural falls dotting the entire landscape.
Vast tourist potential lies untapped. entire north east region is full of virgin tourists place, trekker routes which could be discovered by a person having intrepid spirit and ready to come out of his comfort zone.
In this moment, i try to visualize the Adi Shankaracharya who was the first trekker/ traveler with indomitable spirit ,vision and courage to undertake the journey from east -west, north-south and establishing the CHAR-DHAMM in the four corners of the land. He was the first person who laid down the foundation stone to bring different regions of the land closer to each other. Though earlier and still today large number of people undertake journey for religious cause, but it hardly matters as long as one is on the move . Last but not the least, it is India Mike which is doing yeoman service to bring not only our country but people of entire world closer and closer.

True, of course; for instance I've been thinking why not do e.g. Kanyakumari-Jammu then by shorter hops (like this train I think, it's a weekly train), and perhaps following the coast, indeed; then it dawned on me that certainly such shorter stretches should throw up the much more connection options. Could be a fun little project (though just tonight, I was dreaming of on a next trip retracing some of my steps of the past two ones really, looking up some people I met, exploring some places more in-depth, a few I didn't make it to, and such. Who knows, indeed.)

But, hey, if one lives up in eastern Assam and wants to move down south reasonaby fast and economically... The timings for the route back are arguably somewhat bewildering. (Though I guess you might well reach say Guwahati at a somewhat Christian hour? Erail doesn't detail the route back yet.)

The Hindu features this on the front page, with a nice chart map and picture of the inaugural train. This is the Eighth longest train journey in the world.

Apparently, there are around 300 Malayalee families at the North-Eastern end, and they, and the folks back home, are delighted with this train.

82.3 hours! Phew. For me, 12 hours (including sleep) remains my limit for pleasure, and 18 is my limit for endurance. I will never make a Great Indian-Train Traveller!

I guess me personally, I'd certainly like a smoker's compartment along the way (Hm, how's about the allowance of at least a flask of Old Monk's per day.)