Palakkad, Shoranur & Thrissur Railway Stations | Complete Guide

Quick Railway Station Guide

Palakkad Junction Railway Station

Palakkad Junction Railway Station, station code PGT, is the principal railway station serving Palakkad city.

The station is located at Olavakkode, a few kilometres from the central part of Palakkad.

This is why railway passengers frequently search for different terms such as:

• Palakkad Junction
• Palakkad railway station
• Olavakkode railway station
• Olavakkode Junction
• PGT railway station

Most of these searches refer to the same major railway station.

Where is Palakkad Junction?

Palakkad Junction is situated at Olavakkode in Palakkad city.

It lies on the important railway corridor connecting:

Shoranur – Palakkad – Coimbatore – Erode – Chennai

The station also provides connectivity towards the Palakkad-Pollachi route through Palakkad Town.

Palakkad Junction Platforms

Palakkad Junction currently has five platforms.

Passengers should always verify the actual platform number from official railway displays, announcements or current Indian Railways information because platform allocation can change.

Is Olavakkode Railway Station the Same as Palakkad Junction?

Yes.

Palakkad Junction was historically known as Olavakkode Junction.

The name Olavakkode remains widely used in Palakkad, particularly by local residents and older railway passengers.

Therefore, when somebody refers to Olavakkode railway station, they normally mean:

Palakkad Junction – Station Code PGT

Palakkad Junction vs Palakkad Town Railway Station

This is one of the most common railway-related confusions in Palakkad.

Palakkad Junction – PGT

• Main railway station serving Palakkad
• Located at Olavakkode
• Handles a large number of long-distance trains
• Station code: PGT

Palakkad Town – PGTN

• Separate railway station
• Located closer to central Palakkad
• Situated on the route towards Pollachi
• Station code: PGTN

Never assume that a train stopping at Palakkad Junction will also stop at Palakkad Town.

When checking railway schedules, use the correct station codes:

• PGT – Palakkad Junction
• PGTN – Palakkad Town

A Short History of Railways in Palakkad

Palakkad has played an important role in the development of railway transport in Kerala.

The railway history of the wider region goes back to the nineteenth century.

Historical Southern Railway records state that railway development in the region included the following early sections:

• Podanur-Pattambi railway development in the early 1860s
• Beypore-Tirur line opened on 12 March 1861
• Tirur-Kuttippuram section opened on 1 May 1861
• Pattambi-Podanur section opened on 14 April 1862
• Kuttippuram-Pattambi section completed on 23 September 1862

The railway network was subsequently extended further north towards Mangalore.

Palakkad Railway Division was formed on 31 August 1956.

The division later underwent major territorial changes when Thiruvananthapuram Division was formed in 1979 and Salem Division was created in 2007.

Palakkad’s geographic position near the Palakkad Gap has also made the region important for railway communication between Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Palakkad-Pollachi Railway Line

Another important railway route from Palakkad runs towards Pollachi in Tamil Nadu.

The route connects places including:

Palakkad – Palakkad Town – Pudunagaram – Kollengode – Muthalamada – Pollachi

Historical records describe the Pollachi-Palghat Railway as an important feeder railway intended to improve communication and trade between Palakkad and southern Tamil Nadu.

The historical route included stations at:

• Muthalamada
• Kollengode
• Pudunagaram
• Palghat

The historic account also identifies the railway bridge across the Kannadi River as one of the major structures on the line.

The Palakkad-Pollachi corridor continues to remain strategically important because it provides an alternative railway connection between Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Read more Palakkad-Pollachi railway reports on Roads & Rails.

Shoranur Junction Railway Station

Shoranur Junction, station code SRR, is one of the most important railway junctions in Kerala.

People searching Google for terms such as:

• Shoranur railway station
• Shoranur Junction railway station
• Shoranur Junction
• Shoranur

are generally looking for information about the same station.

Why is Shoranur Junction Important?

Shoranur occupies a strategic position in Kerala’s railway network.

Railway routes around Shoranur provide connections towards:

• Palakkad and Coimbatore
• Thrissur and Ernakulam
• Kozhikode and Mangaluru
• Nilambur

This makes Shoranur an important interchange point for passengers travelling between northern, central and southern Kerala.

For railfans, Shoranur is also one of Kerala’s most interesting railway locations because of the variety and frequency of train movements in the area.

Palakkad Junction to Shoranur Junction

The Palakkad-Shoranur section forms an important part of Kerala’s railway network.

Stations on this corridor include:

Palakkad – Parli – Mankara – Lakkidi – Ottapalam – Shoranur

A mixture of passenger, express, superfast and long-distance trains use this route.

Train schedules and stoppages can change, so passengers should verify current timings before travelling.

Thrissur Railway Station

Thrissur Railway Station, station code TCR, is the principal railway station serving Thrissur city.

It is an important stop on Kerala’s main railway corridor and is served by many trains connecting northern and southern Kerala.

Common Google searches include:

• Thrissur railway station
• Thrissur railway station code
• Thrissur train timings
• trains from Thrissur
• Thrissur to Palakkad train
• Thrissur to Shoranur train

Shoranur Junction to Thrissur Railway Station

Travelling south from Shoranur takes trains towards Thrissur and Ernakulam.

The Shoranur-Thrissur section carries a large mixture of regional and long-distance railway traffic.

Many trains travelling between northern Kerala and destinations such as Kochi, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Thiruvananthapuram use this corridor.

Thrissur to Shoranur by Train

Shoranur lies north of Thrissur and is connected by multiple railway services.

The actual number of trains, timings and stopping patterns depend on the current Indian Railways timetable.

Passengers making short-distance journeys should check both regular passenger or MEMU services and suitable express trains.

Thrissur to Palakkad by Train

Passengers travelling from Thrissur towards Palakkad generally travel through the Shoranur-Ottapalam corridor before reaching Palakkad Junction.

For railway searches and bookings, use:

• From: TCR – Thrissur
• To: PGT – Palakkad Junction

Chennai Egmore Railway Station

Chennai Egmore, station code MS, is one of Chennai’s major railway terminals.

It is particularly important for railway services connecting Chennai with central and southern Tamil Nadu.

Passengers travelling from Kerala sometimes search for Chennai Egmore while planning connecting journeys in Chennai.

Chennai Egmore vs Chennai Central

Chennai Egmore and Chennai Central are different railway stations.

• Chennai Egmore – MS
• MGR Chennai Central – MAS

Always check the departure station carefully before travelling to Chennai, particularly when changing trains.

What is an Intercity Train?

The term Intercity train generally refers to a railway service designed to connect important cities over relatively short or medium distances.

Such trains often cater to daytime passengers travelling between major commercial or administrative centres.

Indian Railways operates several trains carrying the Intercity Express name.

However, “Intercity” does not refer to one particular train.

When searching for an Intercity train, check:

• Train number
• Origin station
• Destination
• Operating days
• Departure time
• Arrival time
• Intermediate stops

Important Railway Station Codes

Knowing railway station codes is especially useful when multiple stations serve the same city.

Frequently Asked Questions

Railways Around Palakkad

Palakkad’s railway geography is particularly important because the district lies close to the Palakkad Gap, the major natural opening through the Western Ghats between Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

The railway corridor through Palakkad provides an important connection between the railway networks of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Shoranur, further west, acts as another major railway junction providing connections towards northern and southern Kerala.

Together, Palakkad Junction, Shoranur Junction and Thrissur Railway Station form an important part of Kerala’s railway network.

Roads & Rails documents railway stations, train movements, railway infrastructure, level crossings, railway history and transport developments through field reports, photographs and videos.

Explore more railway reports at RoadsandRails.org.