Pinakini Express

Pinakini Express
Overview
Service type Superfast Express
Locale Andhra Pradesh & Tamil Nadu
First service 1 July 1992
Current operator(s) South Central Railway Zone
Route
Termini Vijayawada Junction (BZA)
Chennai Central (MAS)
Stops 12
Distance travelled 431 km (268 mi)
Average journey time 6 hours 50 mins for 12711; 7 hours for 12712
Service frequency Daily
Train number(s) 12711/12712
On-board services
Class(es) AC Chair Car (CC), Second Class Seating (2S), General Coaches (UR)
Seating arrangements Yes
Sleeping arrangements No
Catering facilities Pantry Car, On-board Catering & E-Catering
Technical
Rolling stock ICF (CBC) Coaches
Track gauge Broad Gauge
1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Operating speed 62 km/h (39 mph) average with halts
Route map

Pinakini Express (Train No: 12711/12712) is a daily Superfast Intercity Express train that runs between Vijayawada Junction in Andhra Pradesh and Chennai Central in Tamil Nadu. This train belongs to Vijayawada Division of South Central Railway Zone.

History

The train, which began its services in 1991, between Vijayawada and Chennai developed a unique bond between the people of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Pinakini Intercity Express, which derived its name from Penna or Pinakini River passing through Nellore City which lies between Chennai and Vijayawada.

This is the best train to reach Chennai in a short duration of time comfortably. Thousands of passengers prefer this train due to its convenient timings and its connectivity towards down South.

This train travels 430 km on each side and consists of 12 halts in between. Pinakini Express enjoys amazing patronage and its occupancy rate is more than 100 per cent throughout the year. Many employees, students, season ticket holders of Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam and Nellore districts daily choose this train as the safest means to travel to their workplaces and destinations due to its convenient timings and best punctuality performance.

Initially the train consisted of 18 coaches, later coaches were increased to 24 due to heavy demand. Pinakini Express has single standard ICF rake and is being primarily maintained at Vijayawada since its inception. It has three AC Chair Car coaches, nine reserved and nine unreserved non-AC coaches, pantry car and two SLR (Seating-cum-Luggage Rake) coaches. The rake was upgraded with safer CBC (Central Buffer Coupler) coupling by replacing old screw coupling as a measure of enhanced safety. It also equipped with bio toilets and OBHS staff for on board cleaning during the journey.

Gallery

Route and Halts

Route
Vijayawada Jn (BZA)
Tenali (TEL)
Nidubrolu (NDO)
Bapatla (BPP)
Chirala (CLX)
Ongole (OGL)
Singarayakonda (SKM)
Kavali (KVZ)
Bitragunta (BTTR)
Nellore (NLR)
Gudur (GDR)
Nayudupeta (NYP)
Sullurupeta (SPE)
Chennai Central (MAS)

Traction and Coach Composition

It is hauled by a Lallaguda-based WAP-7 and Vijayawada-based WAP-7 locomotive. Coach composition of Pinakini Express
From Vijayawada to Chennai (12711)
It runs with ICF-CBC coaches (Green indicating Electric locomotive, Yellow indicating colour of the general coaches, pink indicating reserved coaches and blue indicating AC coaches)

Loco 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
SLR UR UR UR UR UR C1 C2 C3 D1 D2 D3 D4 PC D5 D6 D7 D8 UR UR UR UR UR SLR

From Chennai to Vijayawada(12712)
It runs with ICF-CBC coaches (Green indicating Electric locomotive, Yellow indicating colour of the general coaches, pink indicating reserved coaches and blue indicating AC coaches)

Loco 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
SLR UR UR UR UR UR D8 D7 D6 D5 PC D4 D3 D2 D1 C3 C2 C1 UR UR UR UR UR SLR

Achievements

Pinakini Express is the first train in the south India to get a green toilet.

See also