• Source:JND
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Bengaluru-Kerala Train Update: As the Onam festival approaches on September 5, Malayalis in Bengaluru are finding it increasingly difficult to travel home due to soaring air and bus fares. With thousands eager to celebrate with their families in Kerala, demand for tickets has shot up, leaving many stranded without affordable options.

Special Train Announced On SMVT Bengaluru–Mangaluru Route

To ease the festive rush, Indian Railways has announced an additional special train on the SMVT Bengaluru–Mangaluru route. This service is aimed at passengers heading towards the Malabar region, who had earlier expressed concerns about the lack of convenient train options closer to Thiruvonam.

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Train number 06003 will depart from Mangaluru at 11 PM on Sundays and reach SMVT Bengaluru at 2:30 PM the following day. The return service, train number 06004, will leave SMVT Bengaluru at 3:50 PM on Mondays, arriving in Mangaluru at 7:30 AM on Tuesday.

The train will halt at important Kerala stations, including Palakkad, Shoranur, Tirur, Kozhikode, Vadakara, Thalassery, Kannur, Payyanur, Kanhangad and Kasaragod. Ticket booking for this service opens at 8 AM on Saturday, railway officials confirmed.

Earlier Bengaluru To Kerala Train Announcements Considered Too Early

Previously, Southern Railway had announced a special train from Kannur on August 29 and another from Bengaluru to Kannur on August 30. However, with Thiruvonam falling on September 5, passengers felt these dates were too early to be of real help.

In contrast, the two special services to Kochuveli (Thiruvananthapuram North) announced much earlier by South Western Railway allowed South Kerala travellers to plan their journeys in advance. With the latest SMVT–Mangaluru service, Malabar-bound passengers are finally getting relief just before the peak travel days.

This new service becomes the fourth Onam special train connecting Bengaluru and Kerala this season.

KSRTC To Operate 90 Extra Buses

In addition to trains, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has stepped in to support festive travellers. The corporation will operate 90 additional buses from Bengaluru to various districts in Kerala between September 2 and 4.

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These buses will depart from Mysuru Road Bus Station, Kempegowda Bus Station (KBS) and Shanthinagar Bus Station in Bengaluru. Destinations include Kannur, Kozhikode, Ernakulam, Palakkad, Thrissur, Kottayam, and Thiruvananthapuram.

Return Buses After Onam

To manage the return rush after the festival, KSRTC will also run special services from Kerala back to Bengaluru on September 7. This arrangement ensures smooth travel for those returning to work immediately after Thiruvonam celebrations.