BENGALURU: Following the overwhelming patronage for five express trains between Bengaluru and Mysuru in the aftermath of the slashed AC fare introduced for them 19 months ago, the Bengaluru Railway Division has now decided to launch it on five more trains along this route. Advance ticket bookings have been opened for two trains.
The trains that have got the green signal from the Railway Board for the move are the Chennai Central-Mysuru Weekly Express (Train no. 22682), Jaipur-Mysuru Express (Train no 12976), Mysuru-Chennai Central Express (Train no. 22681), Mysuru-Jaipur Express (Train no. 12975) and Mysuru-BSB (Varanasi) Express.
The almost 50% fare reduction was introduced on October 8, 2016 by converting one three-tier AC coach into an AC chair car coach. This followed a detailed in-house analysis which revealed that the 3AC coaches were running at an average occupancy figure of 10% as passengers were reluctant to pay a fare of Rs 490 to commute between the twin cities. The chair car fare of Rs 260 paid off handsomely, with a 50% to 70% occupancy witnessed in these trains, along with a surge in the division’s earnings.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Bengaluru Division, N R Sridharamurthy, told The New Indian Express, “The move has proved to be enormously successful and mutually beneficial to both the passengers and the division.” The five express trains, where the chair car fares have been reduced, were introduced in 2016.
They are Mayiladuthurai Express, Kaveri Express, Hampi Express, Tuticorin Express and Golgumbaz Express. A circular from the Railway Board has asked the division to introduce the system on the proposed five trains before September 22. Booking of AC tickets has already opened for the Mysuru-Chennai Central Express, which will have this reduced fare from September 26, and the Mysuru-Varanasi Express, which will have it from September 25.