The Island Express is an Indian Railways

Indian Railways

Indian Railways , abbreviated as IR , is a departmental undertaking of Government of India, which owns and operates most of India's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India....

 train

Train

A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...

 running between Bangalore

Bangalore

Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...

 and Kanyakumari. Train# 16526 runs from Bangalore to Kanyakumari, and Train# 16525 runs in the reverse direction. The train runs daily via Coimbatore

Coimbatore

Coimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....

, and covers the 944 km route in about 20 hours.

No part of the train's route is presently on an island; the name was given because the predecessor of this train used to end its journey at the Cochin Harbour Terminus

Cochin Harbour Terminus

Cochin Harbour Terminus is one of the railway stations in the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. It is located on the Willingdon Island. The Cochin Harbour Terminus is the principal station providing rail connectivity to the southern segment of the Port of Kochi located on the...

 station in Willingdon Island

Willingdon Island

Willingdon Island is an island, which forms part of the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. Much of the present Willingdon Island was claimed from the Lake of Kochi, filling dredged soil around a previously existed, but tiny natural island...

, Cochin till the mid 1970s. At that time, it was the only train that connected Bangalore (Karnataka

Karnataka

Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...

 state) to Kerala.

Later this train became Nagarcoil Express after the gauge conversion

Gauge conversion

In rail transport, gauge conversion is the process of converting a railway from one rail gauge to another, through the alteration of the railway tracks...

 between Ernakulam and Trivandrum in the mid-1970s and a new Broad Gauge line to Nagercoil

Nagercoil

Nagercoil is the 12th largest city in the southernmost Indian state of Tamil Nadu and a municipality and administrative headquarters of Kanyakumari District...

 from Trivandrum was commissioned in 1979. Subsequently, it was extended to Kanniyakumari.

Island Express also experienced a horrible accident while on its way to Nagercoil in July 1988 when a large number of its coaches fell into the lake

Lake

A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...

 Ashtamudi Kayal while crossing the railway bridge. 105 people lost their lives (Peruman railway accident

Peruman railway accident

In the Peruman Train Tragedy, the Bangalore - Kanyakumari Island Express train derailed on the Peruman bridge over Ashtamudi Lake, near Perinadu, Kollam, Kerala, India and fell into the lake, killing 105 people on July 8, 1988....

). It also met with another accident at Kuppam in May 1967. The train, which left Bangalore at 6 p.m., did not stop at the Railway Station and went on to hit the buffers at the end of the loop line around 9 p.m. Several lives were lost.

This is one of the best trains to travel from Bangalore if you wish to enjoy the scenic beauty of Kerala and the bordering Tamil Nadu. The early morning departure from Coimbatore to the arrival in Palghat is one of the best parts of the journey with the train running right through national forest region allowing you to catch a glimpse of various wild animals.

Timings

This train leaves Bangalore at 21:40 hours to reach Kanyakumari

Kanyakumari

Kanyakumari is a town in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. It is also sometimes referred to as Cape Comorin. Located at the southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula, it is the geographical end of the Indian mainland. The district in Tamil Nadu where the town is located is called Kanyakumari...

 at 19:00 hours the next day. This was the only daily train between Bangalore

Bangalore

Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...

 and Kerala

Kerala

or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....

 until early 2006. For the return trip, this train leaves Kanyakumari at 10:30 hours to reach Bangalore at 6:55 AM.

Route

Presently, this train runs through
Bangalore City

Bangalore City Railway Station

Bangalore City Railway station is located across the Kempegowda Bus Station in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. It is an important hub of the South Western Railway. The station has 10 platforms and two entrances.-Junction:...

,
Bangalore Cantonment

Bangalore Cantonment

The Bangalore Cantonment was a military cantonment of the British Raj based in the Indian city of Bangalore. The cantonment covered an area of 13 square miles, extending from the Residency on the west to Binnamangala on the east and from the Tanneries in the north to Agram in the south. By area,...

,
Bangalore East(16526 does not stop.Only 16525 stops),
Krishnarajapuram,
Whitefield,
Malur

Malur

Malur is a town in Kolar district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is near Bangalore.-Geography:Malur is located at . It has an average elevation of 910 metres ....

,
Bangarapet Junction,
Kuppam

Kuppam

Kuppam is a census town in Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh. It is 105 km from Bangalore and 250 km from Chennai by rail. It is known for its granite quarries and a granite variety, Kuppam Green, is named after the town. Kuppam has now become an educational hub with an engineering...

,
Tirupattur,
Salem Junction

Salem Junction

Salem Junction is a railway junction station located in Suramangalam, a former municipality about 5 km from Salem...

,
Erode Junction

Erode Junction

Erode Junction Railway Station is the main railway station in the City of Erode, in the state of Tamil Nadu in India, located at 3 km from Erode Central Bus Terminus at Swastik Circle....

,
Tiruppur

Tirupur

Tiruppur pronounced as is a textile city located on the banks of Noyyal River. It is also called Dollar city. It is the administrative headquarters of the Tiruppur district. It forms a part of the ancient Kongu Nadu region of South India, where its people were the first to establish territorial...

,
Coimbatore Junction

Coimbatore Junction

Coimbatore Junction erstwhile Kovai junction, is the railway station located in heart of the city Coimbatore. The station code is CBE. It has 6 platforms. It is a Major Railway junction in South India and the second busiest railway station in Tamil Nadu in terms of passenger movement...

,
Palakkad Junction

Palakkad Junction

Palakkad Junction is one of the biggest railway junction station in Kerala state, India situated in the city of Palakkad. It is located at 4 km from Palakkad Municipal Bus Terminus...

,
Ottapalam

Ottapalam

Ottapalam is a town in Palakkad District of Kerala state in India. It is also the headquarters of Ottapalam taluk. Situated on the banks of the Bharathappuzha river , it has a rich cultural heritage and has played host to many historic events. It is famous for having several films shot here...

,
Wadakanchery,
Thrissur

Thrissur Railway Station

Thrissur Railway Station is the busiest railway station in Kerala in terms of number of trains, located in Thrissur, India. As of 2006, 55 pairs of trains passed through the station on an average day...

,
Pudukkad

Pudukad

Pudukad is a village situated on the banks of Kurumali River, also known as Karuvannur River, in Kerala. The village is 14 km to the south of Thrissur City and 16 km to the north of Chalakudy.-Transportation:...

,
Irinjalakuda

Irinjalakuda

Irinjalakuda is a municipal town situated in the Thrissur district of Kerala, India. It is famous for the sprawling Koodalmanikyam Temple that has Bharata as the main deity and the St Thomas Cathedral in the heart of the City...

,
Chalakudi,
Angamali for Kaladi

Angamaly Railway Station

Angamaly for Kalady is a railway station in Greater Cochin in India operated by Southern Railway Network. It lies in the Shoranur-Cochin Harbour section of Trivandrum division. Angamaly is the halting point of many trains passing through this station except some superfast trains...

,
Alwaye

Aluva Railway Station

Aluva is one of the important railway station in Greater Cochin situated in Ernakulam district and also the second busiest station in the Indian state of Kerala in terms of number of trains after Thrissur Railway Station...

,
Ernakulam Town

Ernakulam Town

Ernakulam Town is one of the three main railway stations in the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. The station is operated by the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways and comes under the Thiruvananthapuram Railway division...

,
Piravom Road

Piravom

Piravom is a town situated in Muvattupuzha Taluk of Ernakulam district in Kerala state, south India. It is 33 km South East of Cochin city & 42 km north of Kottayam town. Piravom is famous for historic Hindu temples and Syrian Christian churches. The town lies 22 km from the Taluka...

,
Kottayam

Kottayam

Kottayam is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative capital of the Kottayam district. Kottayam Kottayam (Malayalam: കോട്ടയം) is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative...

,(Pilgrims to Sabarimala can alight here)
Changanassery,
Tiruvalla,
Chengannur

Chengannur

Chengannur , is a municipal town in Alappuzha district of the state of Kerala in South India. Chengannur is located in the extreme eastern part of Alappuzha district. It is north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram on the MC Road. Chengannur is connected to Kollam and Kottayam by NH 220...

(Pilgrims to Sabarimala can alight here)
Mavelikkara

Mavelikkara

Mavelikara is a town in Alappuzha district of Kerala, India, spread over an area of 12.65 km2. It is in the southern part of Alappuzha district on the banks of the Achankovil River. Mavelikara is located 8km east of National Highway. Mavelikara is known as the capital of...

,
Kayamkulam Jn

Kayamkulam

Kayamkulam is a town and a municipality in Alappuzha district of the Indian state of Kerala. It is an ancient maritime trading centre. One of the largest power plants in Kerala, run by the NTPC, is located in Kayamkulam. Krishnapuram Palace is located nearby and an old cashew factory.Kayamkulam is...

,
Karunagappalli

Karunagappalli

Karunagappally is a gramapanchayath and Taluk in Kollam district, Kerala, India. Karunagappally is situated 27 km north to Kollam....

,
Sasthamkotta

Sasthamkotta

Sasthamkotta is a village in the Kunnathoor Tehsil of Kollam district in the state of Kerala, India. It is from Kollam, the district headquarters. It is the location of the Sasthamcotta Sree Dharma Sastha Temple.-Demographics:...

,
Quilon JN

Quilon

Quilon may refer to,* Venad, a former state on Malabar Coast, India* Kollam , Kerala state, India* Kollam district, Kerala state...

,
Paravur,
Varkala

Varkala

Varkala is a coastal town and municipality in Thiruvananthapuram district situated in the Indian state of Kerala. It is located 50 kilometres north-west of Thiruvananthapuram and 37 km south-west of Kollam city.Varkala is the only place in southern Kerala where cliffs are found adjacent to...

 (Tourists headed to Varkala Papanasham Beach alight here),
Kadakkavur

Kadakkavoor

Kadakkavoor is a village in Thiruvananthapuram district in the state of Kerala, India.-Demographics: India census, Kadakkavoor had a population of 25362 with 12199 males and 13163 females....

,
Chirayankeezh

Chirayinkeezhu

Chirayinkeezhu is a village in Thiruvananthapuram district situated in the Indian state of Kerala.This is the birth place of the Malayalam actors Shri. Prem Nazir and Bharath Gopi.-Places:The Sarkara Devi Temple is situated at Chirayinkeezhu...

,
Trivandrum Pettah

Thiruvananthapuram Pettah

Thiruvananthapuram Pettah Malayalam: തിരുവനന്തപുരം പേട്ട is a railway station for inter-city trains, located at Thiruvananthapuram, in the Indian state of Kerala. The station is operated by the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways. The station is only 2.5 km from the Thiruvananthapuram...

(Only 16526 stops. 16525 does not stop),
Trivandrum Central

Trivandrum Central

Trivandrum Central is the main railway station in the city of Thiruvananthapuram in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the largest and busiest railway station in Kerala in terms of passenger movement and the second most important rail hub in South India. It is also the most profitable station...

,
Neyyattinkara

Neyyattinkara

Neyyattinkara is municipality in Thiruvananthapuram district in the Indian state of Kerala. The name Neyyattinkara in Malayalam literally means the shore of Neyyar River. Neyyar River flows from Agasthyarkoodam , the highest peak in southern end of the Western Ghats. The taluk has a total...

,
Dhanuvachapuram(Only 16526 stops. 16525 does not stop),
Parassala

Parassala

Parassala is a small but busy town in India, at the the southern end of Kerala, bordering Tamil Nadu. Malayalam and Tamil language is spoken by the residents.-Parassala town:The name of Parassala became more popular after the rise of Prof. Parassala B...

,
Kulithurai West(Only 16526 stops. 16525 does not stop),
Kulitthurai

Kulitthurai Railway station

Kulitthurai Railway Station is the second biggest station in Kanyakumari District. For Train transportation the Kulitthurai is the main hub for Kalkulam and Vilavancode taluka’s. The Kalkulam and Vilavancode taluka’s have the population around seven lakes...

,
Palliyadi(Only 16526 stops. 16525 does not stop),
Eraniel

Eraniel Railway station

Eraniel Railway station in Eraniel is the most important railway station of Kallkkulam taluk of Kanyakumari district in the Tamil Nadu state of India. The station has two platforms and falls on the Kanyakumari—Trivandrum line in the Trivandrum division of the Southern Railway zone...

,
Nagercoil JN

Nagercoil

Nagercoil is the 12th largest city in the southernmost Indian state of Tamil Nadu and a municipality and administrative headquarters of Kanyakumari District...

,
Kanyakumari

When this train was introduced it ran via Jolarpet

Jolarpet

Jolarpet is a panchayat town in Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, India.Now it is IInd grade municipality from 2011. It is an important railway junction in Southern Railway. It is located 7km from Tirupattur and 18 km from Vaniyambadi...

(between Kuppam and Tirupattur) to Aluva and on to Ernakulam Junction and finally Cochin Harbour Terminus on Willingdon Island.

Due to the extension to Trivandrum, the train now stops at Ernakulam Town. The Jolarpet stop got eliminated when the bypass line was commissioned.

Briefly, this train also ran on a different route via Hosur from Bangalore to Salem and vice-versa from August 1998 to August 2004.

Sabarimala Pilgrimage

Pilgrims travelling to Sabarimala from Bangalore can travel in this train. They need to alight at Chengannur. Plenty of KSRTC buses ply from Chengannur railway station to Pampa. The distance from Chengannur railway station to Sabarimala is about 95 kilometers.

Coaches

Island express has 22 coaches in it which includes 13 sleeper class coaches(S1-S13), Two AC 3 tier coaches(B1,B2), Two AC 2 tier coaches(A1,A2),and the rest being unreserved general coaches that includes a ladies coach.

Bookings

Passengers willing to travel in Island express better need to book their tickets on the day of booking opening 90 days in advance because this train is fully packed the entire year, especially during weekends.

This is a slow train with many station stops making it a good passenger train. You can increase your chances of getting tickets if you opt to travel on weekdays between Monday through Wednesday if you are booking just days in advance.