Charminar Express

{{Infobox rail service

| color = FF00BB

| name = Charminar Express

| image =

| image_width =

| caption =

| type = Superfast

| status =

| locale = Telangana, Andhra Pradesh & Tamil Nadu

| first =

| last =

| operator = South Central Railway

| ridership =

| start = {{stnlnk|Hyderabad Deccan}} (HYB)

| stops = 16

| end = {{stnlnk|Tambaram}} (TBM)

| distance = {{convert|818|km|0|abbr=on}}

| journeytime = 14 hours 40 minutes

| frequency = Daily

| class = AC First Class, AC 2 Tier, AC 3 Tier, Sleeper Class, General Unreserved

| access =

| seating = Yes

| sleeping = Yes

| autorack =

| catering = On-board catering,
E-catering

| observation = Large windows

| entertainment =

| baggage = Available

| otherfacilities = Below the seats

| stock = LHB coach

| gauge = {{track gauge|1676mm}}

| trainnumber = 12759 / 12760

| speed = {{convert|57|km/h|0|abbr=on}} average including halts.

| map = 250px

| map_state =

}}

The 12759 / 12760 Charminar Express is an superfast express train that operates between {{stnlnk|Tambaram}}, a city in Chennai metropolitan area and Hyderabad.{{cite web |title=Train Name Index |url=https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/coaching/TAG_2023-24/Train_Name_Index.pdf |website=Indian Railways |publisher=Centre For Railway Information Systems |access-date=23 March 2024 |page=28 }} In 2020, the railway board approved the change of terminals from Chennai Central to Tambaram railway station,{{cite web |title=Extensions, change in terminals, partial cancellations, diversions and cancellation of trains |url=https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/coaching/Circulars/2020/CC-78.pdf |website=Indian Railways |publisher=Centre For Railway Information Systems |access-date=23 March 2024 |location=New Delhi |page=2 |date=20 August 2020}} which is considered as the third railway hub of Chennai.{{cite news |title=Originating point of two trains shifted from Egmore to Tambaram |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/tamil-nadu/2017/Aug/06/originating-point-of-two-trains-shifted-from-egmore-to-tambaram-1639038.html |access-date=23 March 2024 |work=The New Indian Express |date=6 August 2017 |location=Chennai |language=en}} In 2023, the railway board announced the proposal of change of terminals from Tambaram railway station to Nagercoil Junction railway station via the chord line,{{cite web |title=Plea to extend Charminar Exp to Nagercoil through main line |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/104300171.cms| website=The Times of India |date=10 October 2023 }}

Train schedule

Charminar is one of the most prestigious trains of SCR, with 24 coaches (first 24-coacher of SCR). After it got its LHB rakes it was reduced to 22 coaches.

Train number 12759 runs from Chennai Tambaram{{cite web |url=http://www.indianrail.gov.in/cgi_bin/inet_trnnum_cgi.cgi |title=Welcome to Indian Railway Passenger reservation Enquiry |accessdate=2014-05-30 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151023070902/http://www.indianrail.gov.in/cgi_bin/inet_trnnum_cgi.cgi |archivedate=23 October 2015 |df=dmy-all }} to Hyderabad. It departs from Tambaram (TBM) at 17.30 Hrs and arrives at Hyderabad Deccan Nampally Station (HYB) at 08.10 Hrs the next day, with 16 intermediate halts.
Train number 12760 runs from Hyderabad to Chennai Tambaram. It departs from Hyderabad Deccan Nampally Station (HYB) at 18.00 Hrs and arrives at Tambaram (TBM) at 08.00 Hrs next day.

Coach composition

The train consists of 22 coaches.

1 AC First cum AC Two Tier,
3 AC Two Tier,
6 AC Three Tier,
8 Sleeper class,
2 General Unreserved,
2 End-on Generator cars (EOG).

Moreover, Charminar Express is one of the few trains of the country having CBC (Centre Buffer Coupling) rakes with GPS system. Also the first train to become a CBC. And first 24 coacher of SCR. From 5 November 2019, Charminar Express is being operated with LHB coach and coaches were reduced to 22.{{cite web|url=https://sr.indianrailways.gov.in/view_detail.jsp?lang=0&id=0,4,268&dcd=8392&did=15722543655384F50BE80A4436813774D17B466D1544C|title=LHB rake for Charminar Express|publisher=Southern Railways|date=28 October 2019|accessdate=30 October 2019}}

Relevance

This train is named after Charminar, an historical monument in Hyderabad built to mark the victory against the plague epidemic that haunted Hyderabad in the 15th century. "Charminar" refers to the four minarets of the monument on the top.