Konkan Railway is making travel easier for car owners this Ganpati festival by adding a new halt at Nandgaon Road to its Roll on-Roll off (Ro-Ro) car transportation service, connecting Kolad in Maharashtra to Verna in Goa. This enhancement, driven by passenger feedback, aims to provide greater flexibility for those traveling along the scenic coastal route during the festive season.

Introduced as an extension of Konkan Railway’s Ro-Ro truck service, operational since 1999, the car transportation service allows motorists to load their vehicles onto specially designed trains, avoiding the hassle of long drives. The new stop at Nandgaon Road, located between Kolad and Verna, caters to rising demand for accessible travel options during the Ganesh festival, a time when thousands flock to Goa and coastal Maharashtra for celebrations.

The Ro-Ro car service, launching on August 23 from Kolad and August 24 from Verna, will run on alternate days until September 11. Each train, equipped with 20 wagons, can carry up to 40 cars per trip, with two cars per wagon. To accommodate passengers traveling with their vehicles, Konkan Railway has attached 3AC and 2S coaches to the train, maintaining unchanged fares for passengers while revising freight charges for cars.

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The updated freight costs are Rs 7,875 (including 5% GST) for the full Kolad-to-Verna journey and Rs 5,460 for the Kolad-to-Nandgaon leg. Booking deadlines have also been extended to August 18 from the earlier August 13, giving travelers more time to plan.

The revised schedule ensures seamless travel: the train departs Kolad at 3:00 PM, arrives at Nandgaon Road by 10:00 PM, and after a brief halt, leaves at midnight to reach Verna at 6:00 AM the next day. From Verna, the train departs at 3:00 PM, reaches Nandgaon Road by 8:00 PM, and continues to Kolad by 6:00 AM after a 10:30 PM departure from Nandgaon. Motorists must arrive three hours early at Kolad, Verna, or Nandgaon Road for vehicle loading.

This initiative reflects Konkan Railway’s commitment to improving connectivity and convenience, making the Ganpati festival travel smoother for car owners along the Konkan coast.

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