Venad Express, which underwent the much-needed ‘make over’, started service on Wednesday. The train which runs between Shoranur Jn and Thiruvananthapuram Central, is perhaps the most popular train among the office-goers and students in central Kerala. The train was accorded a reception by the Kerala Railway Users’ Association when it reached Ernakulam.
The passenger amenities in the train with spanking new coaches, include vinyl flooring, cushion seats, LED display, modular toilets and food trays. The LED display shows the train number and the station names. Displays are also fitted to indicate if the toilet is empty or occupied. The coaches are fitted with bio-toilets as well as GPS facility which will provide information about current and upcoming locations.
The air conditioned chair car has comforts comparable to those of passenger aircraft cabins. The A/C coach offers wider leg room for a comfortable journey and it has foldable curtains on the window. The train has a rake which utilises centre buffer coupling (CBC) technology as a better safety measure s in case of an accident.