Boat Mail Express
| Boat Mail Express | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Boat Mail Express at Chennai Egmore Railway Station Platform No. 9 | |||||
| Overview | |||||
| Service type | Mail/Express | ||||
| Status | Active | ||||
| Locale | Tamil Nadu | ||||
| Predecessor | Indo-Ceylon Express | ||||
| First service | 24 February 1914 | ||||
| Last service | Operation till now | ||||
| Successor | Rameswaram Express | ||||
| Current operator | Southern Railway zone | ||||
| Former operator | South Indian Railway (SIR) | ||||
| Ridership | Mail/express | ||||
| Website | http://www.indianrailways.gov.in | ||||
| Route | |||||
| Termini | Chennai Egmore (MS) Rameswaram (RMM) | ||||
| Stops | 20 | ||||
| Distance travelled | 665 km (413 mi) | ||||
| Average journey time | 12 hours 30min | ||||
| Service frequency | Daily | ||||
| Train number | 16751/16752 | ||||
| Line used | Main Line | ||||
| On-board services | |||||
| Classes |
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| Disabled access | |||||
| Seating arrangements | Yes (un-reserved compartment) | ||||
| Sleeping arrangements | Yes (berth) | ||||
| Catering facilities | E-catering
| ||||
| Observation facilities | Large windows | ||||
| Entertainment facilities | No | ||||
| Baggage facilities | Available | ||||
| Other facilities | Bio toilet | ||||
| Technical | |||||
| Rolling stock | |||||
| Track gauge | 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) | ||||
| Electrification | 25 kV AC, 50 Hz (high voltage traction) | ||||
| Operating speed | 59 km/h (37 mph) | ||||
| Average length | 23 Coaches | ||||
| Track owner | Southern Railway | ||||
| Rake maintenance | Ramanathapuram | ||||
| Rake sharing | Sethu Superfast Express & Amritha Express | ||||
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The Rameswaram (Boat Mail) Express, formerly known as the Boat Mail or Indo-Ceylon Express, is an express train connecting Rameswaram with the Tamil Nadu state capital Chennai via Tambaram, Chengalpettu, Melmaruvathur, Viluppuram, Cuddalore Port, Chidambaram, Sirkazhi, Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur, Tiruchchirappalli, Pudukkottai, Karaikudi, Sivagangai, Manamadurai, Paramakkudi and Ramanathapuram.
In the 20th century, it operated as a combined train-steamer ferry-train service between India and Sri Lanka, linking Chennai and Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. Initially, the service utilized a rail-to-sea operation, which later evolved into a rail-sea-rail operation. Passengers could purchase a single ticket for the entire journey from Chennai to Colombo. After Indian independence, the ferry service was discontinued and the train operated under the name Dhanushkodi Express from Chennai Egmore to Dhanushkodi. Following the destruction of Dhanushkodi in the cyclone of 1964, the train service was halted. It now runs only from Chennai Egmore up to Rameswaram.