The slowest train in Southern Railways is 56316/Mettupalayam Udagamandalam (Ooty) MG passenger which takes 4 hours 45 mins to cover the distance of 46 km
due to 10 to 12 km/h (dropping to ~8 km/h on steep inclines)
However, Southern Railway operates many such slow trains that run over short distances and serve smaller stations along their routes.
⭐Kerala's Slowest Train
16307/ Alleppey-Kannur Executive Express
(8 hours 40 minutes to cover 380 km)
16629/Trivandrum Central Mangalore Central Malabar Express via Kottayam
(15 hours 35 minutes to cover 632 km)
Very slow train due to numerous halt, running as fast passengers train useful train for Malabar Region, inbetween travellers for office goers.
⭐Kerala- Chennai Slow train
12696/ Trivandrum Central-MGR Chennai Central SF Express
(It takes 16 hours 45 min to cover 917 km)
However it is not slowest in terms of average speed, but the route itself makes slower and longer route when shorter route exist via Nagercoil Trichy,
This train mainly useful for South and Central Kerala regions like Kottayam/Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta District.
16128/Guruvayur-Chennai Egmore Express via Nagercoil
(21 hours 10 min to cover 1096 km when shorter route exist via Palakkad-Salem Route)
It is the successor of Cochin Harbour Terminus-Chennai Egmore Mixed Express during 90s then later extended to Guruvayur, to give connectivity to pilgrim centre to Tamilnadu's Capital City.
16160/Mangalore Central Chennai Egmore Express
(It takes 20 hours 50 min to cover 987 km from Mangalore Central, but from Kasargod it's takes 20 hour 05 min)
Slowest Train from Northern Kerala to Chennai as well as Mangalore
However it is useful train till Tiruchirapalli Junction, the only daily train to Delta Region as well
⭐ Kanyakumari/Coimbatore-Mangalore section
16324/Mangalore Central Coimbatore junction Express (Unreserved)
(11 hours to cover 407 km distance)
16550/Kanyakumari-Mangalore Central Parasuram Express via Kottayam
(17 hours 35 min duration to cover 718 km)
Very high demand train especially for kerala and high revenue trains in Southern Railways around occupancy 267.67 %. During Day time End to End journey might not be practical but inbetween short distance is good option, travels like snail.
⭐Tamilnadu-Kerala section slow train
16729/Madurai-Punalur Express via Nagercoil
(10 hour 40 mins to cover 408 km)
Due to Broad Gauge Conversion between Punalur-Sengottai line on 2010, this train was inaugurated as passenger train by providing Connectivity from Punalur to Trivandrum.
16327/Madurai Guruvayur Express
(14 hours 40 minutes to cover 518 km)
Basically it's an amalgamation of 3 services of Guruvayur-Punalur fast Passenger, Kollam Sengottai and Sengottai-Madurai Passenger train.
Very useful train for travelling to pilgrim places Madurai Meenakshi Temple to Guruvayur Temple…but slower train
More convenient option is traveling via Palani, Pollachi, Thrissur.
16731/Palakkad Junction Tiruchendur Express via Palani, Dindigul
(9 hours 25 min to cover 459 km)
16792/Palakkad Junction- Tuticorin Palaruvi Express via Kottayam, Sengottai
(14 hours 25 min to cover 535 km)
Earlier it used to run as Palakkad-Punalur Palaruvi Express, then later extended to Tirunelveli by providing Sleeper coach, then extended to Tuticorin Port Hub.
⭐Tamilnadu’s Slow trains
16322/Coimbatore Junction-Nagercoil Junction Express (unreserved)
(11 hours 40 minutes to cover 408 km)
16846/Sengottai Erode Express via Tirunelveli
(Takes 9 hours 40 mins to cover 438 km)
Earlier it used to run as Tirunelveli-Erode Passenger, later extended to Sengottai on January 24, 2024
The extension allows passengers to travel seamlessly through the scenic foothills of the Western Ghats without needing to change trains at Tirunelveli or Virudhnagar Jn.
•Chennai to Sengottai/Tiruchendur
Nagercoil/Kanyakumari Slow train
20691/Tambaram Nagercoil Antyodaya Express via Thanjavur
(13 hours 55 min to cover 765 km)
16358/Charlpalli Nagercoil Amrit Bharti Express
(16 hours 25 minutes to cover 765 km)
20681/Tambaram Sengottai SF Express via Thiruvarur, Karaikudi
(It takes 14 hours 40 minutes to cover 767 km)
One of the slowest train between Chennai to Sengottai, but very useful for Thiruvarur, Pattukottai, Karaikudi ECR coastal region.
20605/Chennai Egmore Tiruchendur Chendur SF Express
(14 hours to cover 777 km distance)
Very high demand train between Chennai and Tiruchendur, it covers Delta region Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, unique train.
16368/ Banaras-Kanyakumari Kashi Tamil Sangam Express
(17 hours 25 min to cover 880 km)
One of the slowest train between Chennai (Perambur) and Kanyakumari when compared to other trains, it takes circular route via Arakkonam, Chengalpattu, Thanjavur