# Chengannur railway station

Chengannur railway station (station code: CNGR) is an NSG–3 category Indian railway station in Thiruvananthapuram railway division of Southern Railway zone. It is located in Chengannur town of Kerala. It is one of the busiest stations in the Thiruvananthapuram Central–Kollam Junction–Kottayam–Ernakulam route, primarily due to the Sabarimala pilgrims. Chengannur railway station mainly serves the people of Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta district.

## History

Chengannur rail link came into existence in 1958 when Ernakulam–Kottayam metre-gauge railway line was extended to Kollam Junction. The railway line between Trivandrum Central and Ernakulam Junction via Kottayam was converted to broad gauge in 1976.

## Significance

Chengannur railway station is the nearest rail station to reach famous pilgrimage places like Sabarimala, Pandalam, Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple, Parumala Church, Maramon and Manjinikkara Monastery .It is also the nearest railway station of 4 of the 5 Pancha Pandava Temples and Pandavanpara. The railway station has been declared as 'Gateway of Sabarimala' by Indian Railways in 2009. It serves the people of 4 districts - Alappuzha, Kollam, Pathanamthitta and Kottayam. The proposed Sabari Airport Cheruvally, Erumeli is 36 km from the station. Chengannur Railway station is the nearest railway station of The proposed Sabari Airport Cheruvally.

## Major Trains Halting at Chengannur

* Thiruvananthapuram - Kasaragod Vande Bharat Express.
* MADURAI -THIRUVANANTHAPURAM AMRITHA EXPRESS
* THIRUVANANTHAPURAM -CHENNAI SUPERFAST
* VELANKANNI- ERANAMKULAM EXPRESS
* KANYAKUMARI- PUNE JAYANTHI JANATHA EXPRESS
* VIVEK SUPERFAST EXPRESS
* BANGLORE -KANYAKUMARI ISLAND EXPRESS
* NAGERCOIL SHALIMAR EXPRESS
* THIRUVANANTHAPURAM CHENNAI SUPERFAST MAIL
* TUTICORIN - PALAKKAD PALARUVI EXPRESS
* LTT -KOCHUVELI GARIB RATH
* YESWANTHPUR -KOCHUVELI GARIB RATH SUPERFAST EXPRESS
* VISAKHAPATNAM- KOLLAM JUNCTION TWICE WEEKLY EXPRESS
* THIRUPATHI -KOLLAM EXPRESS
* KOCHUVELI -NILAMBUR ROAD RAJYARANI EXPRESS
* THIRUVANANTHAPURAM -VERAVAL JUNCTION EXPRESS
* NAGERCOIL- GANDHIDHAM JUNCTION express
* HUBBALLI KOCHUVELI EXPRESS
* SMVT BANGLORE KOCHUVELI HUMSAFAR EXPRESS
* VENAD EXPRESS
* VANCHINAD EXPRESS
* MAVELI EXPRESS
* MALABAR EXPRESS
* PARASURAM EXPRESS
* HIMSAGAR EXPRESS
* THIRUVANANTHAPURAM SECUNDARABAD SHABARI EXPRESS
* THIRUVANANTHAPURAM SILCHAR ARONAI SUPERFAST EXPRESS
* THIRUVANANTHAPURAM NEW DELHI KERALA EXPRESS.

## Facilities

Cloak room
IRCTC restaurant
Wi-Fi connectivity
Computerized Reservation counter
Information counter
Foot over bridge (2 no's)
Subway
Escalator
Lift (at platform no: 1)
2nd class waiting room at Platform no: 1
Shelters for Sabarimala pilgrims
Prepaid auto – taxi counter
prepaid vehicle parking area
AC waiting room - paid (30/- per hour)
24 hrs. KSRTC bus to Pamba during Sabarimala Pilgrim Season and also at 1st & last day of every Malayalam month

## Future expansion plans

A new line linking Chengannur with Thiruvananthapuram Central via Pandalam, Kottarakkara Kilimanoor and Nedumangad is awaiting approval from the Planning Commission.
Another line to Pampa via Pathanamthitta has also been proposed.
A sub-urban service connecting Chengannur to Trivandrum is under consideration.
New elevated rail line between chengannur and pamba is under process.
An elevated rail line that can take Sabarimala pilgrims from Chengannur to Pampa in around 40 minutes. With the railway ministry giving green signal for the 60km project’s final location survey, a hassle-free journey through the scenic forest could become a reality in a few years.
The proposed railway line is likely to pass through places including Chengannur municipal council, Mallapuzhassery, Aranmula, Kozhencherry, Cherukol, Vadasserikara, Ranni, Keekozhoor, Seethathode, Athikkayam and Perunad.