A trial run of the Vande Bharat Express connecting Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur in Kerala will be conducted on 22 April.
The track augmentation and modernisation of the signalling system is being conducted on a war footing.
The train will be flagged off on 25 April by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The indigenously-developed train will run from Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur via Kottayam.
The train will reportedly be stopped for some time at Thiruvananthapuram, Varkala, Kollam, Chengannur, Ernakulam South and Ernakulam North.
According to the reports, Southern Railway has taken over the Vande Bharat Express rakes set to run on the Thiruvananthapuram-Kannur route in Kerala.
Earlier on 12 April, PM Modi flagged off Rajasthan’s first Vande Bharat Express train.
The new Vande Bharat Express covers the distance between Delhi Cantt and Ajmer in around 5 hours 15 minutes.
The present fastest train on the same route, Shatabdi Express, takes 6 hours 15 minutes from Delhi Cantt to Ajmer.
Thus, the new Vande Bharat Express will be faster by 60 minutes as compared to the present fastest train running on the same route.
According to a PMO release, the Ajmer-Delhi Cantt Vande Bharat Express is the world’s first semi high speed passenger train on high rise overhead electric (OHE) territory.