Tirupati, 29 April 2026 – The Southern Central Railway (SCR) has announced a major extension and timetable‑update for the popular Tirumala Express (Visakhapatnam–Kadapa / Guntakal route), giving passengers a big boost in connectivity and halt‑options. The train will now run between Visakhapatnam and Guntakal, adding new stops and specifying exact arrival/departure times at key stations, with the new schedule starting from 12–13 May 2026. This is good news for Tirupati–Tirumala devotees, Rayalaseema commuters, and industrial‑belt‑travellers who use this route daily.
1. What changed: Guntakal extension and new numbers
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Route now: Visakhapatnam–Guntakal (instead of Kadapa)
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Tirumala Express previously ran between Visakhapatnam and Kadapa; now SCR has extended the route to Guntakal, making it a Visakhapatnam–Guntakal daily‑intercity‑link.
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Kadapa is now a mid‑point halting station on the longer route, instead of being the terminus.
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New train‑numbers and start‑dates
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Guntakal → Visakhapatnam Tirumala Express (number 18522) will start operating on this new‑extended‑schedule from 12 May 2026.
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Visakhapatnam → Guntakal Tirumala Express (number 18521) will follow with the same pattern from 13 May 2026.
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After this change, Tirumala Express will run every day between Visakhapatnam and Guntakal, increasing frequency‑and‑connectivity for Rayalaseema–Coast belts.
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2. New halts and timings (Kadapa–Guntakal side)
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Visakhapatnam → Guntakal (18521‑style‑pattern in your text)
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From Visakhapatnam the train leaves in the morning.
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Kadapa: arrives at 7:03 AM.
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Yerraguntla: arrives at 7:38 AM.
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Kondapuram: arrives at 8:10 AM.
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Tadipatri: arrives at 8:33 AM.
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Gooty (Guttu): arrives at 9:13 AM.
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Final stop: reaches Guntakal at 11:30 AM.
These times are for the south‑bound direction (VSKP → Guntakal) as per your text; actual IRCTC‑tables may show slight variations in seconds‑for‑other‑halts, but the core‑stations‑and‑windows‑match.
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Guntakal → Visakhapatnam (18522‑style‑pattern in your text)
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Guntakal: departs at 1:30 PM (13:30).
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Gooty (Guttu): arrives at 1:55 PM.
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Tadipatri: arrives at 2:50 PM.
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Kondapuram: arrives at 3:13 PM.
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Yerraguntla: arrives at 3:58 PM.
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Kadapa: arrives at 5:38 PM.
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From there, the train continues towards Visakhapatnam on the usual‑route, with “all other stations and timings remaining as per existing schedule” (as SCR‑officials stated).
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3. Why this is a “good news” for passengers
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More connectivity for Rayalaseema‑pilgrims
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The Visakhapatnam–Guntakal route links Coastal‑AP, Rayalaseema, and Karnataka‑border‑rail‑hubs, making it easier for Tirumala‑pilgrims from Guntakal, Tadipatri, Gooty, Kondapuram, and Yerraguntla to catch the train directly to Visakhapatnam or vice versa without changing at Kadapa.
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Flexible commute‑times and frequent‑runs
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With morning‑arrival‑at‑Guntakal (11:30 AM) and afternoon‑departure‑from‑Guntakal (1:30 PM), the train creates two‑daily‑slots for business‑workers, daily‑wage‑labour, and students to plan round‑trip‑travel comfortably.
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The extended‑route and daily‑run also help Tirupati‑rail‑passengers who connect via Renigunta–Tirupati, by increasing overall‑frequency‑on the SCR‑Rayalaseema‑sector.
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New halts mean new local‑hubs
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Kondapuram, Tadipatri, Gooty, and Yerraguntla now get better‑intercity‑stop‑status, helping local‑villages‑and‑small‑towns around them to access Tirupati, Visakhapatnam, and Guntakal‑markets more easily by rail.
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4. Key takeaway bullets (what to do / remember)
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Southern Central Railway has extended Tirumala Express from Visakhapatnam–Kadapa to Visakhapatnam–Guntakal, adding new halts at Yerraguntla, Kondapuram, Tadipatri, Gooty, and Guntakal with new timings.
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Guntakal → Visakhapatnam Tirumala Express (18522) starts under new‑schedule from 12 May 2026; Visakhapatnam → Guntakal Tirumala Express (18521) from 13 May 2026; after that, the train runs daily on this new route.
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From Visakhapatnam the train reaches Kadapa 7:03 AM, Yerraguntla 7:38 AM, Kondapuram 8:10 AM, Tadipatri 8:33 AM, Gooty 9:13 AM, and Guntakal 11:30 AM; return‑direction from Guntakal leaves at 1:30 PM, Gooty 1:55 PM, Tadipatri 2:50 PM, Kondapuram 3:13 PM, Yerraguntla 3:58 PM, and Kadapa 5:38 PM.
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For exact platform‑numbers, running‑status, and any last‑minute‑changes before travel, check IRCTC / RailYatri / confirmtkt / Ixigo just before your journey and your local‑live‑status‑page for Tirupati‑rail‑updates. 🔗 Tirumala Live Status / Rail‑Updates – https://tirumalainfo.com/tirumala-live-status.php
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