Everything About India’s Longest Train Route Which Covers More Than 4,000 Kms

The Indian Railways have evolved throughout time for the convenience of the public. So, today, in this article we will tell you about India’s longest train route, which travels over 4,000 kilometres across 9 states within just 83 hours.

The Indian Railways, which transport over country’s 80% of all goods and 70% of all people, are the most important of all the nation’s transportation networks. We can say that it caters for the majority of India. Many individuals who couldn’t afford flying regularly take trains to satisfy their wanderlust.

On April 16, 1853, Indian Railways launched their first 22-mile leg of service (34 km). Now the Indian Railway System has grown to be the largest in Asia and the second-largest organization in the world in terms of route length.

With a 168-year history with 1,26,611 kilometres of lines across the whole nation, Indian Railways has one of the biggest train networks in the world. There are 17 zones in this extensive rail network. Even more astounding is the fact that, between 2020 and 213, the Indian Railways handled 3.43 million people daily.

It is not an exaggeration to say that trains have become an important part of the middle class and even in the rural class to some extent.

The longest train route in India and one of the longest in the entire globe is that which connects Dibrugarh and Kanyakumari. Along the journey, the route passes through several climatic, topographical, and linguistic zones and provides first-hand exposure to other civilizations.

So, let’s first find out about the train that covers this railway route:

The Vivek Express – India’s longest train route

The Vivek Express travels 4,273 kilometres over tracks in 80 hours and 15 minutes with around 55 planned stops, making it the longest train route in India. It runs from Dibrugarh (DBRG), in north-eastern Assam, to Kanyakumari (CAPE), the northernmost point of the Indian mainland. On the way back, it takes the same route.

The 150th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s birth was celebrated in 2013, and for celebrating it, the Vivek Express train series was launched in November 2011. This train was the last to stop going when the state-wide shutdown to prevent COVID-19 was declared in March 2020.

The train travels via a number of stations from north to south, including Tinsukia, Dimapur, Guwahati, Bongaigaon, Alipurduar, Siliguri, Kishanganj, Malda, Rampurhat, Pakur, Durgapur, Asansol, Kharagpur, Balasore, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Khordha, Brahmapur, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Samalkot, Rajahmundry, Eluru, Vijayawada, Ongole, Nellore, Renigunta, Vellore, Salem, Erode, Coimbatore, Palakkad, Thrissur, Aluva, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Chengannur, Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram and Nagercoil.

As of July 2013, there are four sets of Vivek Express trains and they are Dibrugarh – Kanyakumari Vivek Express, Okha – Tuticorin Vivek Express, Bandra Terminus Jammu Tawi Vivek Express and Santragachi – Mangalore Central Vivek Express.

The Railway Ministry is thinking of beginning a new Vivek Express along the North to East Corridor, connecting Jammu Tawi and North East India, as a result of the public’s favourable response to Vivek Express trains. In the past, Vivek Express trains travelled through India from East to South, South to West, West to North, and then again from East to South. The quadrilateral would be finished by the newly built North to East Vivek Express.

Know more about the world’s largest train route

While the above-mentioned route is India’s largest, it’s time to find out about the world’s largest railway route.

Russia, the largest nation on earth, is home to the world’s longest railroad line. Multiple time zones are crossed throughout the six-day train trip. It links the west of Russia with its distant east.

After six days and around 9,250 kilometres from your starting point in Moscow, you reach Vladivostok. That still sounds like a very long journey when compared to the longest train route in India. In fact, it is 4977 km longer, which is more than twice as long.