Chennai Central

Chennai Central, formerly known as Madras Central, is an important railway terminus in Chennai and Southern India, designed by architect Henry Irwin.Chennai Central is infact the headquarters of the Southern Railway.While Chennai Egmore Railway Station connect with cities and towns to the south of Chennai such as Madurai, Rameshwaram, Tirunelveli, Tiruchirapalli and Tuticorin, Chennai Central connect Chennai to other states of India.

History Behind Chennai Central:

Chennai Central (Madras Central) was built in 1873 at Park town as a second terminus to decongest the erstwhile Royapuram harbour station which was being utilized for port movements. Chennai Central (Madras Central) was built in the Gothic Revival style, by George Hardinge and consisted of just four platforms. The station was later modified with the addition of the central clock tower and other changes by Robert Fellows Chisholm. The redesign was eventually completed in 1900.Madras Central gained prominence after the beach line was extended further south in 1907 and Royapuram was no longer a terminus for Madras. All trains were then terminated at Madras Central instead and its position was further strengthened after the construction of the headquarters of the Madras and Southern Maratha Railway (erstwhile Madras Railway and now known as the Southern Railway (India)) adjacent to it in 1922.

Chennai Central is a symbolic landmark for people in South India as this station served as the main gateway for all people who travelled to South India during the British era.Chennai Central Station has been greatly instrumental in earning Chennai the famous sobriquet Gateway of the South.

Chennai Central Today:

Chennai Central is now the home of the Southern Railway and an important rail hub in South India.The station has 11 platforms to handle long distance trains and 3 platforms, exclusively for suburban trains.

The station now has book-shops, restaurants, accommodation, Touch Screen Information System, Internet browsing centers and even a shopping mall for essential commodities.Chennai central was briefly painted a creamy yellow color, but concurring with the views of a campaign by the citizens of Chennai and also to retain the old nostalgic charm, they were repainted in their original brick-red color, which was how the buildings were built originally.

Chennai Central also has a Tourist Information Center. There are Tour operators and travel agents who offer the needed guidance and other services related tourism.Medical care is offered in case of exigency. There are also several Chennai hotels in the vicinity to cater to the needs of the travellers.

Trains originating at Chennai Central:

• Chennai-New Delhi Grand Trunk Express: Train No:2615/2616
• Chennai-New Delhi Tamil Nadu Express: Train No:2621/2622
• Chennai-H. Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express: Train No:2433/2434
• Chennai-H. Nizamuddin Garib Rath: Train No:2611/2612
• Chennai-Mumbai Mail: Train No:6010/6009
• Chennai-Mumbai Express: Train No:6012/6011
• Chennai-Howrah Coromandel Express: Train No:2842/2841
• Chennai-Howrah Mail: Train No:2604/2603
• Chennai-Coimbatore Intercity Express: Train No: 2679/2680 (dep 14:20)
• Chennai-Coimbatore Cheran Express: Train No: 2673/2674 (dep 22:10)
• Chennai-Coimbatore Kovai Express: Train No: 2675/2676 (dep 06:15)
• Chennai-Coimbatore (On Saturdays dep 22:20)
• Chennai-Coimbatore / Mettupalayam Nilgiri/Blue Mountain Express: Train No: 2671/2672
• Chennai-Mangalore West Coast Express: Train No: 6627/6628
• Chennai-Mangalore Mail: Train No: 2601/2602
• Chennai-Mangalore Express: Train No: 2685/2686
• Chennai-Ahmedabad Navjivan Express: Train No: 2656/2655
• Chennai-Chappra Ganga Kaveri Express: Train No: 2669/2670
• Chennai-Tirupati Saptagiri Express: Train No: 6057/6058
• Chennai-Tirupati Express: Train No: 6053/6054
• Chennai-Tirupati Express: Train No: 6203/6204
• Chennai-Hyderabad Charminar Express: Train No: 2759/2760
• Chennai-Hyderabad Hyderabad Express: Train No: 2603/2604
• Chennai-Erode Yercaud Express: Train No: 6669/6670
• Chennai-Bangalore Brindavan Express: Train No: 2639/2640
• Chennai-Bangalore Lal Bagh Express: Train No: 2607/2608
• Chennai-Bangalore Bangalore Mail: Train No: 2657/2658
• Chennai-Bangalore Shatabdi Express: Train No: 2027/2028
• Chennai-Bangalore Express(Afternoon): Train No: 2609/2610
• Chennai-Bangalore Express(Weekend only): Train No: 2691/2692
• Chennai-Mysore Shatabdi Express: Train No: 2007/2008
• Chennai-Mysore Kaveri Express: Train No: 6222/6221
• Chennai-Alleppey Alappuzha Express: Train No: 6041/6042
• Chennai-Trivandrum Trivandrum Mail: Train No: 2623/2624
• Chennai-Trivandrum Express: Train No: 2695/2696 Via Coimbatore
• Chennai-Trivandrum Express (Weekly): Train No: 2697/2698
• Chennai-Tirupattur Yelagiri Express: Train No: 6089/6090
• Chennai-Kakinada Circar Express: Train No: 6043/6044
• Chennai-Jammu Tawi Andaman Express: Train No: 6031/6032
• Chennai-Chandigarh/Dehradun Express: Train No: 2687/2688
• Chennai-Vijayawada Pinakini Express: Train No: 2712/2711
• Chennai-Vijayawada Jan Shatabdi Express: Train No: 2077/2078
• Chennai-Bhubaneshwar Express: Train No: 2829/2830
• Chennai-Jaipur Express: Train No: 2967/2968
• Chennai-Lucknow Express: Train No: 6093/6094
• Chennai-Vasco Express: Train No: 7311/7312 Weekly
• Chennai-Hubli Express: Train No: 7313/7314 Weekly
• Chennai-Nagercoil Express: Train No: 2689/2690 Weekly Via Erode

Trains passing through Chennai Central:

• Alleppey-Coimbatore- Dhanbad/Tatanagar Express
• Indore-Coimbatore-Trivandrum Ahilyanagari Express
• Gorakhpur-Coimbatore-Trivandrum/Barauni-Coimbatore-Ernakulam Raptisagar Express
• Trivandrum – Coimbatore – Korba Express
• Coimbatore – Jaipur Express
• Ernakulam – Coimbatore – Guwahati Express
• Trivandrum – Coimbatore Guwahati Express
• Bangalore – Guwahati Express
• Bangalore – Rajendra Nagar(Patna) Sanghamitra Express
• Muzaffarpur – Yeswantpur Express
• Ernakulam – Coimbatore – Patna Express
• Trivandrum – Coimbatore – Howrah(Shalimar) Express
• Dhanbad – Coimbatore – Alappuzha Express

Check out Chennai Central Train Timings of all trains starting from and passing through this railway station.

If you are looking to book a ticket online for a train passing by Chennai Egmore, check this article on how to book an Indian Railways Train Ticket Online.You can easily book a ticket or in case of emergency, book a tatkal ticket via IRCTC.