Matsyagandha Express to be downgraded from superfast to express from January 6

Train No. 12620/619 Mangaluru Central-Mumbai LTT-Mangaluru Central Matsyagandha Express will be renumbered as Train No. 16370/369 making it a mail/express train with effect from January 6 in Mangaluru. | Photo Credit: ANIL KUMAR SASTRY Passengers travelling Mangaluru Central-Mumbai LTT-Mangaluru Central Matsyagandha Express will pay at least ₹15 less and up to ₹45 from January 6 as the railways has downgraded the category of the train from superfast to mail/express.Patrons had been questioning Matsyagandha’s categorisation as superfast express as it failed to maintain an average speed of 55 km/hour required to be considered as a superfast. While Train No. 12619 Mumbai LTT-Mangaluru Central Matsyagandha Express has an average speed of 53 km/hour, Train No. 12620 Mangaluru Central-Mumbai LTT Matsyagandha Express has an average speed of 54 km/hour during non-monsoon timetable. During the monsoon timetable, the average speed gets reduced to 50 and 52 km/hour respectively.Passenger associations had been demanding removal of the superfast tag from the Matsyagandha as the categorisation entailed levying of superfast charges on the base fare. Indian Railways levies superfast charges at the rate of ₹15 for general second class, ₹30 in sleeper class, ₹45 in 3-tier AC/economy, and 2-tier AC and ₹75 in 1st AC classes.A release from the South Western Railway on Friday, said Train No. 12619/620 would be renumbered as Train No. 16369/370. The train continues to be owned by SR’s Thiruvananthapuram Division as it has rake sharing arrangement with Train No. 16347/348 Thiruvananthapuram Central-Mangaluru Central-Thiruvananthapuram Express.Meanwhile, the weekly Garib Rath Express between Mumbai LTT-Thiruvananthapuram North-Mumbai LTT (Train No. 12201), which was earlier announced to be renumbered as Train No. 16371 with effect from January 1, would now get the new number with effect from January 4, the release added. Published - November 06, 2026 08:57 pm IST