Marusagar Express

The Marusagar Express is a weekly express train that runs between Ajmer and Kochi, connecting Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka to Kerala. The train runs through four zones of Indian Railways, travelling 2859 km in around 47 hours. There are 29 halts along the way. It starts from Ajmer on Friday morning and reaches Ernakulam Junction on Sunday early morning, and starts back to Ajmer on Sunday evening to reach Ajmer on Tuesday afternoon.

History

The service of this train started in 2001 September from Ratlam Junction to Mangalore Junction as 'Ratlam - Mangalore Superfast Express' with 10 AC coaches, 10 Sleeper, 2 General and 2 SLR coaches. Later in year 2003 it got extended to Jaipur on one side and to Ernakulam on other side. From 2009 September onwards, the service of this train was extended up to Ajmer. It is the Fourth fastest train of North Western Railways after 12973/12974 Jaipur - Indore SuperFast Express, 12181/12182 Jaipur - Jabalpur Super Fast Express & 12465/12466 Jodhpur - Indore Intercity Express. This train is in the "superfast" category, and so has more importance than normal passenger and express train.

Origin of name

The word "MaruSagar" essentially means "Desert-Ocean". The word "Maru" refers to the Thar Desert in Rajasthan and the word "Sagar" refers to the ocean (the Arabian Sea). Thus, the train connects the desert state of Rajasthan to the Arabian Sea coast in the West. It travels from Ajmer in Rajasthan to Kochi, in Kerala, passing through the towns of Jaipur, Sawai Madhopur, Kota, Nagda, Ratlam Junction, Vadodara, Panvel, Ratnagiri, Goa, Mangalore, Kasaragod, Cannanore, Kozhikode and Thrissur Railway Station on the way. After Vadodara, the train travels along the western coast of India beside the Arabian Sea.

Train details

• 12978 DN Ajmer -> Ernakulam (Friday)
• 12977 UP Ernakulam -> Ajmer (Sunday)

Train composition

LOCO-SLR-GS-GS-S1-S2-S3-S4-S5-S6-S7-S8-S9-S10-PC-B5-B4-B3-B2-B1-A1-HB1-GS-GS-SLR;

Loco link

The train runs completely on a Bhagat Ki Kothi based WDP-4 or WDP 4B Diesel Engine.

Running timetables

2978 DN Ajmer-Ernakulam Marusagar Express (Friday)

No.	Station Code	Station	Arrival	Departure	Kilometers	Day
1	AII	Ajmer Jn	Source	07:35	0	1
2	KSG	Kishangarh	08:01	08:03	29	1
3	JP	Jaipur Jn	09:50	10:05	135	1
4	SWM	Sawai Madhopur Jn	12:05	12:20	266	1
5	KOTA	Kota Jn	13:35	13:45	374	1
6	NAD	Nagda Jn	16:54	16:56	599	1
7	RTM	Ratlam Jn	17:30	17:50	640	1
8	BRC	Vadodara Jn	22:00	22:10	902	1
9	ST	Surat	00:01	00:06	1031	2
10	VAPI	Vapi	01:16	01:18	1124	2
11	BSR	Vasai Road	03:35	03:40	1246	2
12	PNVL	Panvel	05:05	05:10	1313	2
13	VEER	Veer	07:23	07:25	1456	2
14	RN	Ratnagiri	09:30	09:35	1676	2
15	THVM	Thivim	11:48	11:50	1945	2
16	MAO	Madgaon Jn	13:15	13:25	2010	2
17	KAWR	Karwar	14:16	14:18	2092	2
18	GOK	Gokarna Road	14:48	14:50	2142	2
19	BTKL	Bhatkal	16:01	16:03	2246	2
20	BYNR	Mookambika Road Byndoor(Temporary halt)	16:06	16:18	2246	2
20	KUDA	Kundapura	17:06	17:08	2314	2
21	UD	Udupi	17:38	17:40	2359	2
22	MAJN	Mangalore Jn	19:05	19:15	2440	2
23	KGQ	Kasaragod	19:58	20:00	2492	2
24	CAN	Cannanore (Kannur)	21:45	21:50	2577	2
25	CLT	Kozhikode	23:30	23:35	2667	2
26	SRR	Shoranur Jn	01:40	01:45	2753	3
27	TCR	Thrissur Railway Station	02:20	02:25	2785	3
28	ALY	Alwaye	03:20	03:25	2840	3
29	ERS	Ernakulam Jn	04:20	Destination	2859	3

2977 UP Ernakulam-Ajmer Marusagar Express (Sunday)

No.	Station Code	Station	Arrival	Departure	Kilometers	Day
1	ERS	Ernakulam Jn	Source	19:50	0	1
2	AWY	Alwaye	20:20	20:25	20	1
3	TCR	Thrissur Railway Station	21:20	21:25	75	1
4	SRR	Shoranur Jn	22:15	22:25	107	1
5	CLT	Kozhikode	00:25	00:30	193	2
6	CAN	Cannanore (Kannur)	02:15	02:20	283	2
7	KGQ	Kasaragod	03:58	04:00	368	2
8	KNKD	Mangalore Jn	04:55	05:05	419	2
9	UD	Udupi	06:21	06:22	501	2
10	KUDA	Kundapura	06:49	06:50	545	2
11	BYNR	Mookambika Road Byndoor(Temporary Halt)	07:00	07:10	614	2
12	BTJL	Bhatkal	07:32	07:34	636	2
13	GOK	Gokarna Road	08:43	08:44	718	2
14	KAWR	Karwar	09:28	09:30	768	2
15	MAO	Madgaon Jn	10:45	10:55	850	2
16	THVM	Thivim	11:45	11:46	914	2
17	RN	Ratnagiri	14:15	14:20	1184	2
18	VEER	Veer	17:24	17:25	1404	2
18	PNVL	Panvel	19:50	19:55	1547	2
19	BSR	Vasai Road	21:05	21:10	1614	2
20	VAPI	Vapi	22:51	22:52	1736	2
21	ST	Surat	00:20	00:25	1829	3
22	BRC	Vadodara Jn	02:08	02:18	1958	3
23	RTM	Ratlam Jn	06:25	06:45	2219	3
24	NAD	Nagda Jn	07:27	07:29	2261	3
25	KOTA	Kota Jn	10:00	10:10	2486	3
26	SWM	Sawai Madhopur	11:45	12:05	2593	3
27	JP	Jaipur	14:05	14:20	2725	3
28	KSG	Kishangarh	16:21	16:23	2830	3
29	AII	Ajmer	17:35	Destination	2859	3

See also

• Konkan Railway