Longest Railway Routes
Longest Railway Routes
Overview
Indian Railways, the fourth-largest rail network in the world, operates several ultra-long-distance trains that connect the extremities of the country. These “mega routes” not only knit together regional economies but also figure prominently in competitive exams conducted by RRB, RRC and other railway recruitment bodies. Knowing their terminal stations, distance, running time and unique operational features is essential for scoring easy GK marks.
Key Facts & Figures
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Longest running train (distance) | Vivek Express (Dibrugarh–Kanyakumari) 4,286 km |
| Longest running train (time) | Vivek Express 75 hrs 30 min (3 nights 4 days) |
| Inaugurated on | 19 Nov 2011 (Dibrugarh–Kanyakumari) |
| Zones touched | NFR, ECR, ER, SER, SCR, SR (6 zones) |
| States crossed | 8 (Assam, Nagaland, Bihar, W.B., Jharkhand, Odisha, A.P., Tamil Nadu) |
| Longest non-stop run | 528 km between Vadodara–Kota (12951/52 Mumbai Rajdhani) |
| Longest daily service | Kerala Express (New Delhi–Thiruvananthapuram) 3,038 km |
| Longest Rajdhani | Thiruvananthapuram Rajdhani 3,148 km |
| Longest Duronto | Ernakulam–Hazrat Nizamuddin 2,804 km |
| Longest Shatabdi | New Delhi–Bhopal 704 km |
| Longest freight run | 1,860 km (Bhuj–Dibrugarh fertilizer rake) |
| Longest tunnel en-route | Pir Panjal (11.2 km) on Jammu–Baramulla section |
| Longest bridge | Vembanad Rail Bridge (4.62 km) in Kerala |
| Highest rail section en-route | 2,225 m at Singla Bhir gorge (Darjeeling Himalayan Railway) |
| Longest platform on route | Hubballi PF-1 (1,507 m) touched by Vasco–Howrah Amaravati Express |
Important Points
- Vivek Express is the only weekly train that links India’s eastern-most (Dibrugarh) with southern-most (Kanyakumari) railheads.
- The train reverses direction once—at Vishakhapatnam—for operational and loco-change reasons.
- Total 56 halts; commercial halt at every capital city of the eight states it traverses.
- Uses WDP-4 / WAP-7 dual traction from Dibrugarh to Kanyakumari.
- Covers 16% of Indian Railways’ total route km in a single journey.
- Indian Railways earns ≈ ₹15 crore annual passenger revenue from this single service.
- Longest Rajdhani (Thiruvananthapuram Rajdhani) runs with “end-to-end” WAP-7 and completes 3,148 km without an engine change.
- Kerala Express (daily) holds the record for the longest distance covered by any daily train in India.
- Duronto category trains halt only for technical reasons; hence Ernakulam–Hazrat Nizamuddin Duronto is the longest non-passenger-halt service.
- Freight rakes of DAP (diammonium phosphate) from Kandla to Dibrugarh occasionally exceed 1,800 km, making them the longest freight runs.
- Pir Panjal tunnel is India’s longest transportation tunnel (11.2 km) and is crossed by the longest Srinagar–Kanyakumari special during summer rush.
- Vembanad Rail Bridge is the longest rail bridge in India and is crossed by every long-distance train entering Kochi island.
- Longest platform (Hubballi) helps in splitting and attaching slip coaches of Vasco–Howrah Amaravati Express.
- Indian Railways’ longest circular tourist train “Bharat Darshan” covers 7,500 km in 16 days but is a seasonal service, not a regular numbered train.
- Memorize train numbers: 15905/06 Dibrugarh–Kanyakumari Vivek Express, 12625/26 Kerala Express, 12431/32 Trivandrum Rajdhani.
Frequently Asked in Exams
-
Which is the longest running train of Indian Railways in terms of distance?
Vivek Express (Dibrugarh–Kanyakumari) 4,286 km. -
How many states does the Vivek Express pass through?
Eight states. -
Name the zones touched by the Vivek Express.
NFR, ECR, ER, SER, SCR, SR. -
Which is the longest daily superfast train?
Kerala Express. -
What is the length of India’s longest rail bridge?
4.62 km (Vembanad Bridge, Kerala).
Practice MCQs
1. The longest running train of Indian Railways is
Answer: Vivek Express (Dibrugarh–Kanyakumari)
2. The approximate distance covered by Vivek Express is
Answer: 4,286 km
3. Vivek Express touches how many railway zones?
Answer: 6
4. Which of the following is the longest daily train?
Answer: Kerala Express
5. India’s longest rail bridge is located in which state?
Answer: Kerala
6. The longest Rajdhani Express runs between
Answer: Thiruvananthapuram and Hazrat Nizamuddin
7. The longest freight run in Indian Railways is approximately
Answer: 1,860 km
8. The train number of Dibrugarh–Kanyakumari Vivek Express is
Answer: 15905/06
9. The longest tunnel on Indian Railways is
Answer: Pir Panjal Tunnel (11.2 km)
10. The longest platform in India (Hubballi) is situated in which state?
Answer: Karnataka
BETA
