Almost all trains coming to Visakhapatnam from Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai are fully booked before the Dasara festival and so is the case with return trains after the festival.
This has almost been the scenario during the festive season for the last several years as the introduction of new trains doesn’t match the growing passenger traffic. While it is difficult to find berths on the trains originating from Visakhapatnam junction even during normal times, it becomes next to impossible during the Dasara period if one doesn’t plan one’s journey sufficiently early. Even the trains from Odisha headed towards the south that help partly meet the demand on normal days will be of no help during the festival time.
The trains coming from Hyderabad side to Visakhapatnam like: 12728 Godavari Express, 17016 Visakha Express, 12862 Kacheguda-Visakhapatnam express, 12740 Garibrath express, 18520 LTT (Mumbai)-Visakhapatnam express, 22204 Duronto express and 12784 AC SF express (weekly) are either fully booked or have a long Wait List (WL) in both Sleeper and AC classes from September 30 to October 4, except Duronto in which eight berths are available in 2 AC for Oct. 3 (as on Sept. 21) and 3 AC has an ‘RAC’ of 24.
Similarly, there is no room on trains coming from Hyderabad side and passing through Visakhapatnam, between Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam. Train no. 11019 Konark Express has a huge WL from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4 in Sleeper and 3 AC classes, 12806 Janmabhoomi express from Secunderabad to Vizag has no seats in 2 S (2nd sitting) from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4 even in the Chair Car (CC), despite it being a day train. No. 18046 East Coast express shows regret/WL on Sept. 30, Oct. 1, 2 and 3 in both SL and 3 AC and WL of 69 and 13 (3 AC) on Oct 4. No. 12704 Falaknuma express also shows either ‘regret’ or huge WL on all the five days before Dasara. The same is the case with 20810 Nagavali express and 20812 Nanded-Visakhapatnam express (Oct. 2)
The trains going from Visakhapatnam to Hyderabad after Dasara have a huge WL in Sleeper Class from Oct. 5 to 10. These include 12805 Janmabhoomi express, 17015 Visakha express, 12727 Godavari express, 12861 Visakhapatnam-Kacheguda express, 20811 Visakhapatnam-Nanded express, 11020 Konark express, 12703 Falaknuma express and 18519 Visakhapatnam-LTT express. No. 12739 Garibrath also has WL in 3 AC from Oct. 5 to 10.
Similarly, the trains going from Visakhapatnam to Tirupati are fully booked post-Dasara from Oct. 6 to 9. Train no. 17488 Tirumala has more than 150 WL on all the days and 49 or more in 3 AC. Other trains passing through Visakhapatnam and going towards Tirupati and Bengaluru also have WL.
The trains coming towards Visakhapatnam from Chennai like 12842 Coromandel express, 12840 Mail and 13352 Bokaro express have a huge WL in both Sleeper and 3 AC from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4. Trains coming from Bengaluru and passing through Visakhapatnam are also showing WL of 100 to 300 in Sleeper class from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4. The same is the case with trains passing through Vizag and going to Bengaluru from Oct. 7 to 9.
RTC special services
The APSRTC will operate 10 special buses a day from Hyderabad to Visakhapatnam from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4 to meet the rush of passengers coming to Visakhapatnam and north Andhra for the festival, according to Deputy Chief Traffic Manager (Visakhapatnam district) Satyanarayana. The return specials and specials to short distances will, however, be operated at short notice based on demand, he adds.
