12258 Garib Rath Express | Kottayam to Banaswadi via Palghat Gap & Thoppur Ghat.

Date- 14-08-2026. Train- 12258 Garib Rath Express, hauled by Electric locomotive from Kottayam Jn to Banaswadi. Class of accommodation- AC 3A Economy. Total distance= 633 Kilometres (from Kottayam to Banaswadi). Zone- Southern Railway/ South Western Railway. Gauge- Broad-gauge. Experience my exciting 633-km overnight journey from Kottayam to Banaswadi, Bengaluru aboard the 12258 Garib Rath Superfast Express! Watch our train race through the mysterious Palghat Gap forests at night, cross Kerala into Tamil Nadu, speed through Coimbatore–Erode–Salem, and traverse the scenic Muthampatti / Thoppur Ghat section between Salem and Hosur before entering Karnataka. From dark Western Ghats and thrilling train crossings to busy junctions and the morning approach towards Bengaluru, this journey is packed with classic Indian Railways action! -------- Chapters of the Journey: 0:00 –On an autorickshaw to Kottayam railway station. 01: 20- Walking across the platform 1 of Kottayam station. 01:47- Time for coffee. 02:01- Himsagar Express announcement. 03:56- Jammu and Kashmir bound Himsagar Express arrives. 05:43- Walking towards the end of the platform as our train Garib Rath Express is about to arrive. 05:57- Vande Bharat Express arrives. 06:48- 12258 Garib Rath Express arrives. 07:08- Aboard the 12258 Garib Rath Express. 08:42- Kottayam- Ernakulam Town section. 12:07- EMD Diesels. 12:39- Ernakulam. 13:50- Main Line track coming from the South station. 14:02- Raining. 15:34- Ernakulam Town. 17:21- Departure from Ernakulam Town station. 17:51- Ernakulam Town- Thrissur section. 20:36- Thrissur station. 21:48- Departure from Thrissur. 22:24- Arrival at Palakkad Jn. 26:54- Departure from Palakkad Jn. 27:22- Palakkad Jn- Kanjikode section. 28:09- Train crossing. 29:29- Yet another train crossing. 30:58- Kanjikode station. 31:33- Kanjikode- Walayar forest section. 39:32- Walayar. 40:01- Walayar- Podanur- Coimbatore section. 41:26- Coimbatore Jn. 44:34- Ooty bound track diverts. 45:14- Coimbatore- Erode section. 51:25- A thrilling high-speed train crossing on the DOWN line as we race through the night! 52:30- Erode Jn. 56:13- Departure from Erode Jn. 57:33- Some train is arriving from the Karur line towards Erode Jn station. 59:13- Approaching Cauvery River bridge. 01:00:58- Erode- Salem section. 01:02:24- Muthampatti (Thoppur) Ghat section. 01:07:19- Dharmapuri- Hosur section. 01:25:42- Hosur. 01:27:13- Kagadaspura or Doddanakundi Lake. 01:28:08- Banaswadi station. This episode wraps up here. -------------- #southwesternrailway