Thiruvananthapuram/UNI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday flagged off Kerala’s first Vande Bharat Express at Thiruvananthapuram Central Station, the service has been started between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod.

Vande Bharat is an indigenous production under Atmanirbhar Bharat.

It has several advanced features like better ride-comfort, kavach compatible to prevent collision of trains, ergonomic reclining seats in Chair-Cars, superior interiors, better fire safety, CCTV in the coaches and facility to talk with guard and driver.

The train will cover 11 districts- Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod.

The train has made its mark as the symbol of progressive and self-reliant India.

It will cover 586 kms distance within 8 hours 5 minutes and will run six days in a week (except Thursday). The number of coaches will be 16.

The travel time of only 8 hours and 5 minutes between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod as compared to 9 hours by present existing fastest train between these stations – Thiruvananthapuram – H.Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express.

In the return direction, travel time of only 8 hours 5 minutes between Kasaragod and Thiruvananthapuram as compared to 10 hours 45 minutes by present existing fastest train on this route – Jamnagar – Tirunelveli Express, said Railways.

Considerable journey time is saved for passengers as Thiruvananthapuram-Kannur Vande Bharat reaches 45 minutes ahead of the existing fastest train in the corridor, Rajdhani Express.

In the return direction also, Vande Bharat reaches Thiruvananthapuram almost 2 hours 30 minutes ahead of Jamnagar – Tirunelveli Express.

The Vande Bharat service will reduce the average travel time between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasargod by almost three hours.

It will provide faster connectivity to Kannur, Kozhikode, Palakkad,Thrissur, Ernakulam, Alappuzha districts to the state capital of Kerala, said Indian Railways.

This train service will provide pilgrimage tourism to get a boost especially to Thiruvananthapuram (Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple), Thrissur (Thrissur Pooram & Guruvayur temple) and Chottanikkara Bagavathy temple.

The stoppages en-route are Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam Town, Thrissur, Shoranur Junction, Kozhikode and Kannur (7 intermediate stoppages), said Railways.

This service will offer faster connectivity between Southern and Northern Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram – Kasaragod – Thiruvananthapuram train will become the fastest in the corridor.