Rail connectivity in Mangalore was established in 1907;[234] the city was the starting point of India's longest rail route.[2] The city has three railway stations; Mangalore Central at Hampankatta, Mangalore Junction at Padil and Surathkal railway station.[235] A railway track built through the Western Ghats connects Mangalore with Sakleshpur and Hassan.[236] The broad gauge track connecting Mangalore to Bangalore via Hassan was opened to freight traffic in May 2006[237] and passenger traffic in December 2007.[238] Mangalore is also connected to Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kollam through the Southern Railway and to Mumbai, Bhatkal, Karwar, Surat, Ajmer and Margao through the Konkan Railway.[239][240]