Railways the preferred mode of transport for Sabarimala pilgrims, 4.88 lakh pilgrims used trains last season
Railways have transported around 1.07 lakh pilgrims from other States, mainly Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, to Kerala during so far this season
Even as the demand for a dedicated railway line to the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple remains unaddressed for the past 25 years, trains seem to be the preferred mode of public transport for pilgrims from other State flocking to the hill temple during the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season.

According to the statistics available with the Southern Railway, 4.88 lakh pilgrims used the special trains introduced by Railways to reach Sabarimala in the 2023-24 season and 3.89 lakh in 2022-23. This year (2024-25), Railways have so far transported around 1.07 lakh pilgrims from other States, mainly Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, to Kerala. In the previous two years, Railways conducted 367 and 293 special services to Kerala during the pilgrimage season.