The second Vande Bharat Express sanctioned for Southern Railway indicates its tentative starting time from Coimbatore at 6 a.m., and time of reach at Chennai at 12.10 p.m., encompassing three proposed stoppages en route and entailing overall travel time of six hours and 10 minutes.
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The first Vande Bharat train in Southern Zone was flagged off between Chennai and Mysuru via Bengaluru on November 11, 2022.
An internal communication purportedly sent by the Southern Railway to the Railway Headquarters (for approval) depicts the arrival/departure timings of the train (No.20643) at the three stations en route: Tiruppur - 6.30 a.m./ 6.40 a.m., Erode - 7.17 a.m./ 7.20 a.m., and Salem - 8.08 a.m./ 8.10 a.m.
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In the return direction, the train is scheduled for start from Chennai at 2.20 p.m. and reach Coimbatore Junction at 8.30 p.m., with the three stoppages en route: Salem Junction - 6.03 p.m./ 06.05 p.m., Erode - 7.02 p.m./ 7.05 p.m., and Tiruppur - 7.43 p.m./ 7.45 p.m.
The train will run at a speed of 80.31 km per hour, and will be operated on all days except Wednesdays, the internal communication which was widely circulated on social media platforms said.
According to Railway sources, the tentative timings and proposed stoppages mentioned in the internal communication, though probable, are subject to change or modification. It has been officially announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Chennai-Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express on April 8.
The Vande Bharat Express is set to be the second day-time train to Chennai from Coimbatore. The Coimbatore-Chennai inter-city express departs at 6.15 a.m. and reaches Chennai at 1.50 p.m., and in the return direction, departs at 2.30 p.m. to reach Coimbatore at 10.15 p.m.
The Chennai-Coimbatore Shatabdi Express starts at 7.10 a.m. to reach Coimbatore at 2.15 p.m., with a waiting time of 40 minutes. In the return direction, the train starts at 3.05 p.m. and reaches Chennai at 10.05 p.m.