Malabar, Parashuram Express, other train numbers will change

Consequent upon Mangaluru Railway Region being brought under the Mysuru division of South Western Railway (SWR) from Palakkad division of Southern Railway from October 1, numbers of trains being maintained in Mangaluru coaching depot will change with effect from January 1, 2027.

Numbers of nine pairs of express/superfast/Vande Bharat trains and six pairs of passenger trains would change to indicate that they belong to or are primarily maintained by Mysuru division, according to an October 27 notification from South Western Railway.

However, there would be no change either in the timings or stoppages of the trains whose numbers will be changed. SWR, while taking over the responsibility of Mangaluru Railway Region on October 1, had stated that status quo would prevail for three months.

The new train numbers from January 1

Indian Railways switched over to a five-digit train numbering system from 2010 after the four-digit numbering system got exhausted when the number of trains being operated crossed the 10,000 mark. While the first digit indicates the train type/class, the second and third digits indicate the operating zone and the division, respectively, while the fourth and fifth digits indicate the sequential identifiers for a particular train to distinguish it from others.

Changed numbers of express /superfast / VB Express trains are:

While the first digit ‘1’ indicates that the service is an express train, the second digit ‘6’ indicates the zone (SWR). The third digit ‘2’ in the newly-assigned series indicates the train belongs to Mysuru division.

Passenger trains whose numbers would change include:

Transfer from SR to SWR

Following the transfer of the Mangaluru Railway Region from Palakkad division of Southern Railway to Mysuru division of South Western Railway (SWR) with effect from midnight of September 30-October 1, Additional Divisional Railway Manager, Mysuru, Shammas Hameed arrived in Mangaluru to oversee the transition. He took necessary measures to ensure a smooth transition and uninterrupted railway operations in Mangaluru.

Mr. Hameed, along with other officers of Mysuru division, visited key railway locations in the Mangaluru region, including Mangaluru Central, Mangaluru Junction, Panambur, and Jokatte, and inspected the operational arrangements and facilities. The officers interacted with railway staff and reviewed their requirements to ensure that adequate manpower, resources, and other essential facilities are made available for the smooth functioning of railway operations.