Keralites outside the state will have a tough time this Christmas and New Year season as train tickets from major cities in the country have been sold out well in advance. Tickets from Bengaluru were sold out within hours of booking opening.
Most of the popular trains to Kerala will now show a “regret” message when you open the booking website. As the annual Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season begins in Sabarimala, trains to the state are already running at capacity and the rush will continue for the next 40 days. Although the railways push for additional services during the season, a large number of special trains are announced at short notice.
A senior officer of Southern Railways told The Hindu that the decision to limit the passenger waiting list to 25% of the capacity of each class resulted in a “regret message” that prompted passengers to explore other modes of transport ahead of the season.
Dynamic pricing
Due to dynamic pricing governed by interstate carriers, a ticket from Bengaluru to Kerala would be in the range of ₹2,000-4,000 during peak season. In addition, special trains pushed by the railways will charge double the normal fare during the festival season. In the weekends before Christmas there is a high demand for tickets on trains, buses and flights.
Further, due to the over-utilization of the lines to Kerala, especially from Shoranur to Thiruvananthapuram, which is now around 120%, it is difficult for the railways to run more trains during peak hours. A third line parallel to the existing track is imperative to meet the demand for more trains to Kerala, officials said. It is estimated that the railways will operate around 450 additional special services to Kerala during the Sabarimala pilgrimage season, though only a few have been announced so far. The picture about the special trains that will be introduced over the Christmas and New Year period will not be clear until next month.
Published – 17 Nov 2025 20:41 IST
