3 Spl trains to Vailankanni - 5 More sleeper coaches added (Total 10)
Vasco to Velankanni
27th Aug Waitlist was 250+ but now just 24 (good chances
for confirmation upto WL50)
2nd Sept Waitlist was 60+ but now tickets available (no
waitlist)
6th Sept tickets available were 107 but now available 381
Return from Vailankanni
28th Aug. tickets available
4th Sept. waitlist showing 74 now, ticket available (no waitlist)
8th Sept waitlist was 125+ but now available (no
waitlist)
General coaches now reduced to 4+2 (from 7+2)
Its 20 coach train now (earlier, 18)
update 13.8.22
Good news: Feast day returning train 08/09/22 (Thursday)
timing revised, Train will now leave Velankanni at 22:30 instead of 09:15 hrs and
will reach Vasco Da Gama at 01:00 hrs on the third day, Friday. See Chart amended below.
Booking for this return train not yet started and may start 14.8.22 8 am, if not keep trying 8am on following days, online booking started 18/8/22 8am for this train
Feast day 8/9 IRCTC online return train ticket booking l started from 18.8.22 8am
Update 9.8.22
3 Special (Extra) Trains to Velankanni announced..
Trains leaving Vasco / Margao / Sanvordem on 27/8/22, 2/9/22 and 6/9/22
Trains leaving Velankani on 28/8/22, 4/9/22 and 8/9/22
18 (now 20) (+1 = 21 coach Train for 27/8) having 4 3AC, 5 (+5) Sleeper and 7+2 (-3) General, SLR coaches.
(Sleeper should have been at least 7 reducing general coaches 5+2 or adding few more coaches)
Special 3 trains announced on 9.8.22 (Press note No. 133 dtd 9.8.22)
Booking for 27th August must have started 9th August 8 am within one day sleeper class showing waitlist 171 and 3AC WL33 as at 9am 10/8/22.
Booking for 2/9/22 may start from 12/10/22 and booking for 6/9/22 may start few days later.
Booking for return sector also not started yet, not even for 28/8
Spl Trains ticket booking to start today 8am, 12/8, except 27/8 train booking for which started 9/8
Within 1 hr tickets for 2/9 and retuning 4/9 showing RAC
Returning on 8/9 tickets booking not started though, may start 17/8/22 8am, started 18/8 online
Sleeper coaches could have been atleast 7 instead of 5, General coaches cud be 5+2 iso 7+2. Feast day 8/9 train leaving at. 9:15 am should have been after 2pm - Now changed to 10.30pm, see chart above
Please note there are total of 720 (now 450 seats) in about 9 (now 5 General Coaches). Only 5 sleeper coaches & 4 3AC (Total 18, now 20 coach train). Weekly Monday's train has 21,
If you don't get confirmed tickets in sleeper coach, you may try in General Coach Fare is about Rs.350,
Sleeper Coach fare Rs.720 and 3AC 1860, fare is more than the usual weekly train
Those wishing to go for whole Novena, may still try booking tickets for 27/8, currently waitlist 242 (WL35 as on 18/8/22), as they may add few more Sleeper coaches to clear the rush (5 added)
Train now go direct to Velankani Station eff. 8.8.22, no need to alight at Nagapattinam even if you hold ticket to NGT Nagapattinam, same train will go to Vailankanni Station after about 15-30 minutes break at NGT due to Train Engine reversal etc. i.e. Train will start moving in reverse direction.
Also, train will leave Velankanni Station Tuesday at 23:45, catch the train here even if you hold ticket from Nagapattinnm to Madgaon, Vasco Update 7.3.2022
Weekly Train re-started from today after about 2 years Covid break but only upto Nagapattinam NGT
Leaving Vasco Da Gama 9am every Monday, calling at Margao, Sanvordem and Kulem in Goa.
Update: December 2019
Effective December 30, 2019, the weekly Vasco -Velankani train will have one more general UR coach .(Total 5 UR + 2 SLR+11 Sleeper + 2 3AC + one 2AC = 22 coaches)
Special Train to Vailankani / Vellankani for 2019 feast. Video: Vailankanni Special Train leaving Vasco, Margao 28.08.2019, 11.15hrs https://youtu.be/JTLMQw4Lwho Feast is on 8th Sept Train No: 07315/07316 leaving Vasco 11.10am on 28Aug, 3Sept and 6Sept (Return from Velankani 29Aug, 4Sept and; 8Sept 8.15pm) Sleeper ticket Rs.675 and 3AC Rs.1790 Ticket availability as on 20/7/19 AM, 26/7/19 For 28Aug Departure - Sleeper - RAC188/RAC156,WL109, 3AC WL34/WL30 , WL153 4/8 For 3Sept Departure - SL Available 511RAC42, RAC147 as on 4/8 For 6Sept Departure - SL Available 884, 814, 703 4/8 Note: Booking for Return or coming back tickets from Vailankanni not yet started. Last year, return booking started 2nd August 8am Return sector booking started 26th July 8am , by noon all tickets for 8Sept full WL110, full but for 4Sept 350, avl 29 4/8 People from Bardez etc can also avail of the special train, stopping at Tivim, 11.06am and Karmali station 11.28am. 3 coach train from Sawantwadi Road will be attached to Vasco-Vellankani train at Margao , booking not yet started as on 9am 28.7.19 and may start soon or tomorrow all full For Regular train that departs on Mondays (Status as of 20/7/19) For 26Aug - SL WL386/WL266, 2AC - WL30/WL18, 3AC WL67/WL57 For 2Sept - SL WL204/WL123, 2AC WL20/WL13, 3AC WL50/WL38 HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH There are also some luxury buses leaving on 27th , 28th Aug, 4, 5th Sept etc Contact - adverts appeared in Local newspaper Herald https://www.flickr.com/photos/joegoauk26/48452207637/
Plus Regular daily Buses Goa to Bangalore and from Bangalore to Velankani both leaving in the evening giving one whole day free time at Bangalore sight seeing etc Fare around Rs.800-1000 per trip/bus i.e. around 3200-4000 per person return HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Other alternate / indirect trains to reach Vailankanni
Other
ways of travelling to Vailankanni by train..
Route 1
Vasco/Margao
to Bangalore
Leaving
15.10 daily and arriving Bangalore next day 06.45, fare 390 sleeper, 15hrs, 645kms
About 12
hrs free time until your next train
From Bangalore
to Thanjavur TJ (Train No: 16232)
19:00
daily arrive TJ next day 04.50 (or get down MV from where velankani is 67Kms)
04:55
daily, 10:10 daily, 11:40 daily plus
other weekly / special trains e.g. Sunday 01:15, 6:30, Th 02:10, FRI
08:05, Tue, 11:40, 17:40, wed, Sat 11:40
One can even
go by rickshaw or bus Returning back to Goa showing no favorable trains on this Bangalore route i.e. it may be good for one way journey only to Vailankanni
Route 2 Tickets were available as of 4/8/19 on this Ernakulam route, both ways
From
Margao to Ernakulam Jn ERS
20:15
daily arrive ERS next day 12:15, fare 415 sleeper, 15hrs, 729kms
23:55
daily arrive ERS 14:35
About 7
hours free time until your next / connecting train
04:55 daily, 10:10 daily, 11:40 daily plus other weekly / special trains e.g. Sunday 01:15, 6:30, Th 02:10, FRI 08:05, Tue, 11:40, 17:40, wed, Sat 11:40
One can even go by rickshaw or bus
Route 3 Margao to Trichur TCR travel time 13:25hrs Rs.395 Netravati daily 23:25 12:48 TCR - NGT (Ernakulam -KaraikKal express daily) 00.05 - 10:15 travel time 10:10 hrs Rs.300 NGT - TCR 16:48 - 04:32 11hrs TCR - MAO 15:30 - 05:30Note: The above info gathered by me on the net, I have not travel yet on these indirect routes. However, many years ago, I did travel Goa-Bangalore-Nagpatinam- sector, same train Thanjavur, same timing
==================================== Special Train to Vailankani / Vellankani for 2018 feast Feast is on 8th Sept
Two Three special trains showing up so far 27th August Monday and 2nd Sept Sunday & 6th Sept Thurs Train Leaving Vasco 11:20 and arrives Vailankani 13:30 next day Ticket fare: Rs.675 Sleeper and 1750 3AC Availability as of 28/7/18 11am 29/7/18 5.15pm 235 SL RAC91 and RAC9 WL6 in 3AC for 27th Aug 920 805 546SL and 8751 27 in 3AC for 2nd Sept as on 2/8/18 955 SL 871 and 73 48 in 3AC for 6th Sept as on 2/8/18 Sleeper availability as of 6.8.18 am for 27th Aug WL111 /54 -Houseful for 2nd Sept 443 available Houseful for 6th Sept 802 available 600 available as on 2.9.18 Returning sector.. Velankani to Vasco for 29th Aug 803 available, for 3rd Sept 224 available, for 8th Sept RAC156/143 sure confirmed seat availability Update 2.9.18 1st and 2nd special trains left full house. Tickets of 3rd train for 6/9/18 plenty available (not likely to go houseful) Video: Train leaving 2.9.18 https://youtu.be/SudT6NHTC_0
Returning trains from Velankanni likely on 29Aug 11.30pm, 3Sept 8.15pm and 8Sept 10.15pm Return booking started from 8 am today 2/8/18 Returning on 8th Sept tickets almost full in less than 12 hours on 1st day of booking RAC16 as of 22:00 2/8. RAC117 as on 4/8/18 Returning on 29th Aug, 3rd Sept plenty tickets available Other weekly train Mondays leaving Vasco 9am Wait List on 27th Aug WL428 and 3 Sept WL115
Trip to Vailankani by Bus/ A/c Coach, push back seats etc Rs.4000 per head or Rs.5000 per head by Inova (7 Pax) Leaving on 27th Aug and Returning 1st Sept Leaving on 4th Sept, 5th Sept As seen on local newspapers and roadside banners
Last year 2017
Our Visit to Vailankani by Special train from Vasco da Gama on 6th Sept 2017
Village: Velankanni, District: Nagapattinam, State: Tamil Nadu, India
We left on 6th Sept 2017 at 11.20am train from Vasco da
Gama and arrived Vailankanni next day at 2pm.
Our hotel check-in timing was 7.30pm so we kept our bags at
the reception counterand set out for sightseeing
etc.Starting with the beach,
restaurant/lunch fish curry thali followed by the Church / Shrine tour.
The entire Vailankani
tour was meant for 1.5 days but for me
it was like half day only as I was down with high fever the whole night and the
next full day.We left the hotel at
7.30pm to take return trainto Vasco at 11.45pm from Vailankani station. Back at Vasco 2am (as against 11.45pm)
To find hotel or accommodationthere was very tough, somehowwe managed to book one triple room online with two extra mattresses for Rs.3,600
(A/c).There was one hotel that was showing Rs.5000 per non- A/c room and
the final figure for two rooms with taxes was showing up around Rs.13,000.We were 6.
It was crowded there and people / pilgrims seen
squattingall over. It was like Old Goa
Novena / Feastscene where we see
pilgrim sleeping in the convents and Churches etc but here it was out in the open
be it in the roads, garden or passages
or corridors.
Everything there was expensive or sold at premium rates.
Even Vasaichim like bananas were sold for Rs.130 per kg or Rs.60 half kg
(6pcs), we saw lot of banana plantations from our train though!
Fish curry rice thali Rs.150 (pic) but it did not come with fried fish, had to
pay extra for fish.
At Church Canteen, the thali was cheaper i.e. Rs.70 + GST
and that did not come with fried fish too. We paid Rs.40 a piece + GST (See
menu pic)
Many devotees were offering tray full of puja items
including coconuts and flowers. Yet some were offering coconut sapling inside
the main Church.Sadly,
photography/videography is prohibited inside the main shrine.
Masses in all languages including Konkani mass, I missed 10’clock
mass in the lower cathedral as I was sick.
Another thing we noted, despite the place being touristic
(Church and beaches) the vendors/hawkers speak noother language than Tamil.
During the Car
Procession at night, one has be very cautious or best to avoid with kids and
elderly.A simple false alarm could
trigger a catastrophic stampede like situation. There is simplly a mad rush and
half of the crowd are those who already witnessed the Car procession on
previous days.
On our way back, our train had no water in most of the
washrooms, saw some using mineral water . Water tanks were only filled up once
the train reached Mangalore junction around 5.30pm that’s after 18 hours from
Velankani station departure.
Our special train, apart from special fare, there were no security personnel nor we saw TC on both sectors. Train to Vailankani was about 70% empty but train back to Vasco was full to the capacity.
The ship MV Lucky Seven grounded at Miramar beach early morning of 16th July 2017.
Earlier, for 3 days it was struggling far off the shore attempting to come into Mandovi River to be used or parked or anchored as Casino boat amongst the other 6 casino boats there in Panaji.
Due to strong winds or bad monsoon weather etc the ship finally got drifted to Miramar beach shore.
Owners: Gopal Kanda promoted Golden Globe Hotels Pvt. Ltd.
Ship was purchased for Rs.12 cores
Name: Lucky Seven *
Flag: Panama *
IMO: 8943703 *
Gross Tonnage: 5570
Vessel Type: PASSENGERS SHIP
Length Overall x Breadth Extreme:66.11m x 23.8m
Year built: 1996
* info visible on the ship
Updates: Salvage work
Arihant ship breaker of Mumbai will attempt to refloat the ship
Salvage work likely to start on Tuesday 25.7.17 and if all go well, the ship will be out of Miramar by 1st August 2017.
Salvage work now likely to start from 28th July which means the ship might go by 5th August.
Salvage work or attempt to refloat the ship further delayed, it may now start on 7th or 8th August
As of now 1.8.17, only some dredging or sand excavation work done during low tide.
Some reports including CoP saying salvage or re-floating attempt will now be made on 11th August
Chief Minister Parrikar on 12.8.17 said the ship has a gushing hole in its bottom and it needs to be fixed before trying to salvage it..
13.8.17 The ship also shows signs of leaning / Tilting on its back side (Port quarter)
Water started entering through its doors too.
Some reports says there is a 12 mtr long crack in the ship hull (bottom)
Looks like the contract with Ship breaking / salvaging company Arihant is terminated their JCB excavators etc on the shore are not seen now.
Reports also say the owners ask a fresh quote from Goa based Madganvkar salvaging company.
Now some reports says services of Dubai based salvaging company have been hired
29.8.17 we saw generator and new water pumps on the shore, water pumping out of the ship started 30.8.17.
Now, some reports (TOI 3/9/17) say that the salvaging work entrusted to M/s AMS Marine LLC, Egypt.
Looks like the ship salvaging work to be completed by end of September (if all goes well)
Lucky Seven permitted to anchor in the Mandovi River as per Court/CoP order, once re-floated.. Attempt 1:
10.9.17 The ship turned front side back (180 deg), re-floating, moving was attempted today - watch video Attempt 2:
11.9.17 Pulling Lucky 7 attempt failed again.. It did move a bit ( see pic)
when second tug? was also trying to pull, looks like its rope got broken.
Some CoP (Captain of Ports) officers were also present Attempt 3:
12.9.17 Despite pulling by two tugs, the ship failed to move. Looks like it stuck into the ground and shows sign of tilting on one side as before.
18.9.17 The ship moved little further away from the shore..
3 pulling tugboats:
MARIA IMO 9429596 with 60 Ton Bollard Pull Capacity
N P ENAKSHI IMO 8928272, 20 Ton Bollard Pull
M T PEHLVAN, PNJ 669 of CoP (Captain of Ports, Goa) 12 ton Bollard pull, hiring charges of CoP Pehlvan Rs. 16,940 per hour plus 15% service charge. During weekends, holidays and after office hours the charges are double i.e Rs.34K per hour.
High Court on 27th Sept has given (Extension) up to Oct 10, 2017 to tow away Lucky Seven from it present position.
Pulling by tugboats may now resume around 4th Oct as that's when higher tides are predicted (2mtr+ high) 4-10 October.
Towing operations did not resume on 4th Oct
Lucky Seven finally pulled out of Miramar beach on 5.10.17 around 9.30am. The ship is now seen at Verem in Mandovi River (Can be seen from Panaji etc)
The ship after repairs likely to go to Ratnagiri dry dock for Major repairs by 10th Oct and come back as Big Daddy by January 2018
As of now (6.10.17), Goa has 7 casino boats in the River Mandovi Panaji out of which only 5 are operating as casino - Check video below https://youtu.be/kRchCoOBhJY
10.10.17 - The ship seen at its place at Verem when checked today.
It is likely to move out form here within next 7 days to Jaigad for major repairs and may be back ( refurbished) by 11th Dec. 2017
16.10.17 The two tugboats Maria and Enakshi were seen anchored nearby but Maria missing from today (or 15th).
17.10.17. Lucky Seven still seen around Panaji River Mandovi
19.10.17 Lucky Seven likely to leave Goa for Dubai for repairs (instead of Jaigad) within a week's time.
1.11.17. Now, it may go to Cochin (not Dubai or Jaigad as mentioned earlier)
3.11.17 The ship still seen around
7.11.17 Lucky Seven still at Verem - see pics below 8.11.17 Lucky seven gone. when check at 4pm it was not to be seen anywhere in the river or around Miramar bay. Must have gone either at night around 1am or at noon today as high tide level was 2.27 and 1.92 mtrs respectively.
Fully refurbished Lucky Seven (as Big Daddy) may now come back to celebrate new year in the Capital city, Panaji amongst the other 6 casino boats
7 Casino boats as of now
Deltin Jaqk, Deltin Royale, Deltin Caravela, Casino Pride 1, Casino Pride 2,
Maharajah Casino (Defunct) and Lucky Seven (soon to be Big Daddy).
Latest video showing all 7 https://youtu.be/kRchCoOBhJY
8.11.17 Lucky Seven finally gone out of Goa (to jaigad?)
when check at 4pm it was not to be seen anywhere in the river or around Miramar bay.
Must have gone either at night around 1am or at noon today as high tide level was 2.27 and 1.92 mtrs respectively.
Believe me, every time there was a high tide of level 2 mts and above I did try my luck to see it going. Even today I was at Panaji since 10am but skipped as tide level was less than 2mts
2018
After about 2.5 months..
Lucky Seven spotted at MPT berth No. 9
MV Lucky 7 docked here at MPT Berth No. 9 around 20.1.2018 and was expected
to stay here for a month or so for repairs
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