Indian Railways to Upgrade Vande Bharat Trains with More Coaches

Post by : Bandan Preet

The Railway Board of India has announced a significant upgrade for the popular Vande Bharat trains. This move comes after observing a consistently high number of passengers on several important routes across the country. According to railway officials, the plan involves adding more coaches to existing Vande Bharat trains on seven operational routes. This upgrade aims to provide better service, more seating, and a comfortable travel experience for passengers.

Routes Selected for Upgradation

The seven routes chosen for this enhancement are:

1. Mangaluru Central to Thiruvananthapuram Central

2. Secunderabad to Tirupati

3. Chennai Egmore to Tirunelveli

4. Madurai to Bengaluru Cantt

5. Deoghar to Varanasi

6. Howrah to Rourkela

7. Indore to Nagpur

These routes were selected due to the high occupancy rate of passengers. Many travelers frequently use these trains for business, leisure, and personal travel, which has created the need to increase the train capacities.

Current Train Operations

At present, the Vande Bharat trains on these routes operate in two formats:

• Four trains with 8 coaches

• Three trains with 16 coaches

The number of coaches determines how many passengers can be accommodated at a time. With increasing passenger demand, the Railway Board has decided that trains with fewer coaches will be expanded to provide more seats.

Planned Upgrades

Dilip Kumar, the Executive Director of Information and Publicity at the Railway Board, explained the details of the upgrade:

• The 16-coach trains on selected routes will be increased to 20 coaches.

• The 8-coach trains will be expanded to 16 coaches.

This means that passengers on these routes will soon see longer trains, which can carry more people and reduce crowding, especially during peak travel times.

The tentative plan for the Financial Year 2025-26, based on passenger occupancy up to 31st July 2025, indicates:

• Three 16-coach Vande Bharat trains will be upgraded to 20 coaches.

• Four 8-coach Vande Bharat trains will be upgraded to 16 coaches.

This careful planning ensures that the most popular routes receive the additional capacity first.

Introduction of Trains on New Routes

Apart from upgrading existing trains, the Railway Board also plans to use the trains released from these upgrades for new routes. This means that as trains are converted from 16 to 20 coaches or 8 to 16 coaches, the shorter trains will be available to operate on routes that currently do not have Vande Bharat service.

This step will allow the Railway Board to expand the Vande Bharat network and provide high-speed, modern train service to more regions of the country.

Replacement and Replacement Planning

Dilip Kumar added that there is a tentative replacement plan in place. According to this plan:

• Trains will be upgraded based on occupancy data to ensure maximum efficiency.

• After the upgrade, the released rakes (trains with fewer coaches) will be used to introduce new Vande Bharat services on other routes.

This strategy ensures that no train goes unused and that passenger demand is met in both current and new areas.

Detailed Upgrades for Specific Routes

The Railway Board has provided a schedule for upgrading specific trains:

• Mangaluru Central to Thiruvananthapuram Central: Currently a 16-coach train, it will be increased to 20 coaches.

• Secunderabad to Tirupati: The 16-coach train will be upgraded to 20 coaches.

• Chennai Egmore to Tirunelveli: This route’s 16-coach train will also be upgraded to 20 coaches.

• Madurai to Bengaluru Cantt: The current 8-coach train will be upgraded to 16 coaches.

• Deoghar to Varanasi: The 8-coach train will increase to 16 coaches.

• Howrah to Rourkela: Upgraded from 8 to 16 coaches.

• Indore to Nagpur: The 8-coach train will also be expanded to 16 coaches.

This careful distribution ensures that the busiest and most popular routes get longer trains, while other routes benefit from the trains released by the upgrades.

Benefits of the Upgrades

The planned upgrade has several benefits for passengers and the Indian Railways system:

1. More Seating Capacity: Longer trains mean more seats, which will reduce crowding, especially during festivals and holidays.

2. Better Comfort: With more coaches, passengers will have more space, reducing pressure on waiting areas and coaches.

3. Increased Efficiency: Upgraded trains will allow the Railway Board to utilize their fleet more efficiently, by running longer trains on busy routes and introducing new services where needed.

4. Expansion of Vande Bharat Service: By using released trains on new routes, more cities and towns will get access to high-speed, modern Vande Bharat trains.

5. Enhanced Passenger Experience: With additional coaches, services like catering, seating comfort, and onboard amenities will be improved for long journeys.

Future of Vande Bharat Trains

The Vande Bharat Express, launched as a modern, high-speed train service in India, has been extremely popular among travelers. These upgrades reflect the Railway Board’s commitment to modernizing India’s rail infrastructure and meeting the growing travel needs of passengers.

Officials have indicated that further upgrades and new launches are planned, with the goal of making Vande Bharat trains the preferred choice for intercity travel across India.

Dilip Kumar mentioned that more 20-coach trains will be ready for launch soon, and at least one 16-coach train will be available for augmentation. This will allow the Railway Board to maintain a balance between expanding existing services and launching new routes.

The Indian Railway Board’s decision to upgrade the Vande Bharat trains is a step forward in improving travel for millions of passengers across the country. By increasing the number of coaches on busy routes and introducing trains on new routes, the Indian Railways is ensuring that more people can travel comfortably, efficiently, and safely.

These upgrades also reflect the growing demand for high-speed trains in India and the commitment of the government to enhance the rail network with modern and sustainable solutions.

For passengers, this means less crowding, faster journeys, and better travel experiences, making the Vande Bharat Express a reliable and comfortable choice for intercity travel across India.

Vande Bharat train upgrade, Indian Railways