Coming home for Onam? Relief for Bengaluru, Kochi travellers; special trains to Kottayam

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: For those planning to make it home for Onam, getting a train ticket just got a little easier. The Railways will run two special train services between Hubballi and Kottayam via Bengaluru to help handle the seasonal rush.
Advance reservation for the special services will begin today, July 30.

The first service, the Hubballi-Kottayam Express Special (07351), will leave Hubballi at 6:30 PM on August 25, the eve of Thiruvonam, and reach Kottayam at 4:40 PM the next day. The train will stop at Palakkad, Thrissur, Aluva and Ernakulam Town.

The return service (07352) will leave Kottayam at 10:30 PM on August 26 and reach Hubballi at 8:00 PM the following day.

A second pair of services will run on August 29 and 30. The Hubballi-Kottayam Special (07353) will leave Hubballi at 3:15 PM on August 29 and arrive in Kottayam at 4:15 PM the next day.

The return train (07354) will leave Kottayam at 10:30 PM on August 30 and reach Hubballi at 8:05 PM the following day.

With the Onam rush expected to put pressure on regular services, the additional trains are likely to come as a relief for passengers looking to travel home during the festival season.