Faster than Vande Bharat: 49-year-old Vaigai Express hits 110kmph speed, reaches Madurai in just 5 hours 35 minutes, two hours earlier despite leaving late from Chennai covering 430 km

Vaigai Express service has been running between Chennai and Madurai since August 15, 1977. The coaches and engines have been upgraded over the years, with modern LHB coaches added as recently as 2019. But the service itself is nearly 49 years old. On October 24, it matched the travel time of the Vande Bharat, which only started running on this corridor in September 2023.

Vaigai Superfast Express left Chennai Egmore 10 minutes late. It then hit a nearly 20-minute delay near Kodambakkam due to track maintenance. Despite all that, it covered the 430-km stretch from Chengalpattu to Madurai in just 5 hours and 35 minutes, according to NDTV. That is two full hours faster than its usual 7 hours and 35 minutes.

The train ran at speeds of up to 110 kmph on most sections. The only slowdown came near Madurai where construction work was underway. A crew change also happened at Villupuram, with the Madurai Division team taking over from there.

Chennai Egmore to Tirunelveli Vande Bharat Express, which stops at Madurai on its route, covers the Chennai to Madurai leg in about 5 hours and 35 minutes. That Vande Bharat service only started running in September 2023. On October 24, the Vaigai Express, delayed and all, matched that exact same time.

This was not a one-off. On March 3, 2022, the Vaigai Express left Madurai 21 minutes late due to a mechanical issue and still reached Chennai ahead of its scheduled arrival time. The train has a long history of making up for lost time when the track allows it.

Vaigai Express was the first metre-gauge train in India to run at 100 kmph. It was also the first metre-gauge service to carry a pantry car. In 1994, it introduced India’s first 42-seat AC coach on a metre-gauge train. The coaches were upgraded to modern LHB rakes in 2019. Nearly five decades on, it is still keeping pace with India’s newest trains.