Yes,there are several trains which takes longer route & duration more & alternative train within state around 800–1000 km,also taking indirect route when already existing straight route exist
⭐From Tamilnadu
1) 16368/Banaras-Kanyakumari Kashi Tamil Sangam Express…from Perambur (Chennai to Kanyakumari longer route Perambur Arakkonam Chengalpattu Thanjavur Trichy total 880 km which 17 hours journey ..indirect route
212689/MGR Chennai Central-Nagercoil Weekly Express which takes longer route than shorter route via Karur,Trichy, Dindigul (Total 883 km,15 hours) one of the longest running train after Kashi Tamil Sangam Express
⭐From Karnataka
1)17307/Mysore-Bagalkot Basava Express (1017 km total 21 hours) via Bengaluru,Guntakal,Raichur,solapur then Bagalkot)
only train which travel circular route by passing through from Karnataka to other states via Andhra Pradesh & Maharashtra then again reach Karnataka
2)16565/Yesvantpur-Mangalore Central Weekly Express Via Bangarpet,Salem Palakkad 833km and takes 14 hours journey..
⭐from Maharashtra
1)The only within state running train which takes above 1000–1200 km is Maharashtra Express from Gondia to Kolhapur via Jalgaon,Manmad,Pune,Satara,total 1211 km,27 hours journey we have to sit.
2)Pune-Ajni Vande Bharat Express, Longest running Vande Bharat Express after New-Delhi Varanasi,which takes 881km & 12 hours journey and interesting fact is this train takes time full day and doesn't go back return on same day.
These are the trains which takes longer duration and taking longer route within same state…and other trains longest running train passes through several states.
When we ask, “What existed before time?” — the simple answer is: not nothing, but the formless Source. The Vedas and Purāṇas describe an eternal, nirguṇa (formless) reality, beyond time and space.
From this timeless ground, the first dual manifestation appears:
Adi-Śakti — the eternal power, the energy of creation.
Mahā-Viṣṇu — the cosmic principle whose very breath gives rise to worlds.
Neither is “before” the other; both are eternal aspects of the same supreme reality. One provides power (Śakti), the other provides substrate (the cosmic dreamer).
1. Mahā-Viṣṇu’s Exhale — Birth of Infinite Universes
In the Bhāgavata Purāṇa (emphasized by ISKCON), Mahā-Viṣṇu reclines in the causal ocean. When He exhales, from the pores of His body emerge countless universes — the multiverse; when He inhales, all those universes collapse back into Him.
2. Adi-Śakti — Mother of the Trimūrti
The Devī-Bhāgavata Purāṇa describes Adi-Śaktias the eternal Mother. She gives rise to the Trimūrti — Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva — and empowers them to create, preserve, and dissolve. Without her, they cannot function.
Thus: while Mahā-Viṣṇu breathes out universes, Adi-Śakti manifests into the dynamic principles that operate inside them.
3. The Three Forms of Viṣṇu — Entering the Universes
Mahā-Viṣṇu does not stop at creating universes. He expands into two more forms to operate within them:
Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu → enters each universe, rests upon the cosmic ocean within it; from His navel springs a lotus, and Brahmā is born to shape the worlds.
Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu → enters every heart as the Paramātmā (inner guide) and every atom as the indwelling overseer. According to ISKCON theology, the voice we call conscience is His whisper.
The Śiva Purāṇa emphasizes Śiva’s eternal role in saṃhāra — the dissolution of universes at cycle-end. He destroys / transforms forms so that renewal is possible. (A detailed summary: Shiva Purana – Role in Creation and Destruction)
5. Different Traditions’ Supreme
Here’s where perspectives diverge:
Gaudiya Vaishnava / ISKCON view: The Supreme Source is Krishna, the original personality of Godhead. From Him expands Mahā-Viṣṇu, and from Mahā-Viṣṇu arise infinite universes.
Śākta view (Devī Purāṇa): The ultimate reality is Adi-Śakti, the Goddess, who brings forth Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva to manage creation, preservation, and destruction.
Śaiva view: The eternal truth is Śiva, the supreme consciousness, with Śakti as his inseparable power.
Thus, depending on tradition, the ultimate Source is seen differently — yet all agree that time itself begins with creation.
6. The Cycle of Creation, Preservation, and Destruction
At creation, Brahmā (born from Garbhodakaśāyī’s lotus) shapes the worlds.
During the lifespan of a universe, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu dwells in every being, guiding them.
At dissolution, Śiva reclaims all forms.
At the end of the cosmic cycle, Mahā-Viṣṇu inhales, and the entire multiverse returns to Him — only to be exhaled again in another cycle.
Adi-Śakti empowers details → gives rise to Trimūrti within universes.
Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu → Brahmā (creation).
Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu → Paramātmā (inner voice).
Śiva → saṃhāra (dissolution).
Mahā-Viṣṇu inhales → all universes collapse back to the Source (multiverse returns to Him).
Final Thought: What Came Before Time?
Not emptiness. But the eternal dance of the formless Source, Adi-Śakti, and Mahā-Viṣṇu. Time itself is just a ripple in this vast ocean. Every breath of Mahā-Viṣṇu births a multiverse; every inhale ends it. Adi-Śakti ensures that inside each universe, creation, preservation, and dissolution play out in perfect harmony.
Most of us neglect to factor trains into our usual idea of traveling – what, with car ownership a norm in most developed and developing nations. And of course, flying is a very popular option among the more financially-comfortable.
But what if you could take in the sights and sounds of dozens of countries in a series of trains, on a trip that lasts 21 days, spanning a whopping 18,755 kilometers?
A crazy idea but technically feasible.
Some wizards over at the r/MapPorn subreddit have managed to figure out the route for the (hypothetically) longest possible train journey in the world, stretching from Lagos in southern Portugal all the way to Singapore.
Reddit user posted a map detailing a specific route that would take travelers through 13 different countries, including Spain, Poland, Belarus, Mongolia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia, to name a few.
This route is only made possible due to the recent opening of a new line in Laos, dubbed the Boten–Vientiane railway, which connects Kunming, China to Vientiane, the capital of Laos.
Prior to the line's opening, however, travelers would have had to end their train journey in Vietnam, with a total coverage of 16,898 kilometers.
Including overnight stops.
The Boten-Vientiane railway opened on December 2, 2021. IMAGE: The Associated Press / Stuff
According to Mark Smith of seat61.com, a rail expert who assisted with trip calculations, the trip would technically take 21 days to complete, including several overnight stops to factor in the time needed to process documents like visas, as well as securing seats at connecting trains.
Some connecting trains also require leaving stations and traveling through various cities to get to the next train, located in a different station. Overall, the amount of money you'd need to spend on train tickets alone amounts to roughly US$1,350.
Yes, yes, it might still sound like a lot of money for us weaker-currency folks in Southeast Asia *haiya* – but of course, if you're from Singapore, this probably doesn't sound like much.
An added benefit of making this trip is the lower carbon footprint compared to flying from Portugal to Singapore. For example, if you were to take a flight from Lisbon, Portugal all the way to Singapore's Changi Airport, you'd be contributing to 1.67 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Opting for this train ride would result with only 0.08 tonnes of CO2. As to whether this train journey is worth it for the greater good of the planet, that's really up to you to decide.
Things to keep in mind.
IMAGE: Reuters / Malay Mail
Reddit user u/htGoSEVe notes that the trip might not technically be possible at the moment, given certain border restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This includes a specific train line from Lisbon, Portugal to Hendaye, France, which was suspended due to COVID-19, "but it doesn't look hopeful that it will ever come back."
Other Reddit users, like u/tancredi88, u/peksync, and u/Leo_ian, offered their own useful corrections to the train route, revealing that there isn't currently a train from Malaysia to Singapore, due to temporary service suspensions between Johor Bahru and Woodlands in the city state.
What does this mean for the people crazy and adventurous enough to take on this incredibly long train journey? You'll probably have to wait until travel restrictions are fully lifted.
