Train Review: Vande Bharat between Chennai and Tirunelveli

Never ever flying Indigo from Chennai to Tuticorin again. Flight travel usually takes 6 hours from home to home travel. Train took 9 hours at 1/3 of the price and was a million times more fun.

BHPian SuperGirl_Dad recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Bouyed by posts of dear member Vigsom tried Vande Bharat train between Chennai and Tirunelveli. One word - Fantastic.

This was a short family summer get-together visit to Tuticorin. For short-time Indian visitors like us train travel is always difficult due to time. But this train promised 6 hours travel to cover 540 kms so all things fell in place.

Flight tickets came to 10k per person for a round trip, so 30k for 3 people. Rains were predicted so I couldn't drive. Decided to try trains this time. Booked Vande Bharat for onward and Nellai 1 AC for return.

Vande Bharat (9/10)

Arrived on the dot at 3:13 pm at Tambaram station.

Tea and snacks: Popcorn, puffed rice, and spinach vada - not oily - excellent.

Beautiful view of Madurantakam Lake

General observations:

• The legroom was much much better than the Indigo flight seat. NVH was excellent. No clikaty clack sounds.
• Luggage has no restrictions like flight.
• Can bring home cooked food and eat.
• Restrooms were clean - It was also cleaned twice during the 7-hour journey.
• Just before Tiruchy, it started raining cats and dogs - visibility was near 0 - yet they constantly maintained 110 kmphr Rain caused 10 10-minute delays at Tiruchy and it was never made up.
• The window beadings look ill-fitted so I feared water might leak - but am happy to report no water leakage was noticed.
• The best part: Since it was the summer holiday season, the train was full of families with school kids. My super girl had a blast with the kids and reminded me of 90s train travel. Somebody played
• "Thanimayile inimai kana mudiyuma" (Translation: can one find happiness by being lonely?) Tamil classic song and it was apt for this travel.
• Dinner was simple and tasty - tried the veg combo.
• Since there were a lot of kids, one child dropped the food tray and food got spilled in the row behind us. The cleaning crew was notified and they immediately swung into action in 5 minutes the mess was cleared and given a nice dettol wipe. Kudos to the whole cleaning and managing crew
• The only downside for me - no stoppage at Kovilpatti for easy transferring to Tuticorin. Had to get down at Virudhunagar and it added 45 minutes of travel time by car. Hope this stoppage is implemented soon

Never ever fly Indigo from Chennai to Tuticorin again. Flight travel usually takes 6 hours from home to home travel. The train took 9 hours at 1/3 of the price and was a million times more fun.

Thank you Vigsom!!

The return journey was through Nellai 1 AC (5/10).

Clikaty clack sound.

Stinky toilets

Rainwater leakage near the doors.

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