The longest platform on Earth
Since March 2023, Hubballi Junction (code UBL) has held a world record: its platform is 1,507 metres long (4,944 ft), the longest railway platform in the world. It overtook Gorakhpur, whose 1,366-metre platform had held the title since 2013. To fit the record-breaker into the station, platform 1 is divided and shares space with platform 8.
A saint's name
The station's official name is Shree Siddharoodha Swamiji Hubballi Junction, honouring Siddharoodha Swamiji, a revered 19th–20th century saint whose math (monastery) in Hubballi draws devotees from across Karnataka.
Since 1886
Hubballi's railway began on 18 October 1886, when the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway opened the 130.02 km Hubballi–Harihar line. For a century Hubballi was a great metre-gauge centre. In 1995 the Hubballi–Londa, Hosapete–Hubballi and Chikjajur–Hubballi lines were converted to broad gauge, reconnecting the city to the rest of India without changes of gauge.
Headquarters of the south-west
Hubballi is the headquarters of South Western Railway, the zone that runs most of Karnataka's railways, and of its Hubballi division. It is the second-busiest station in Karnataka after KSR Bengaluru.
Ore, ghats and the coast
When South Western Railway was created in 2003, Hubballi was chosen as its headquarters, reflecting its position between Bengaluru, Goa and Mumbai. The lines east towards Hosapete carry iron ore from the Ballari region, and the route west climbs down through the Western Ghats to the Goan port of Mormugao, giving the Hubballi division some of the heaviest freight traffic in Karnataka.
Layout
UBL has 8 platforms on 12 tracks, about 627 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau.
Twin cities
Hubballi and Dharwad form a twin city linked by a BRTS corridor. Trains from UBL fan out to Bengaluru, Belagavi, Goa via Londa and the Braganza Ghat, Hosapete for Hampi, and Mumbai. See which run when in our timetable search.