PALAKKAD: In a significant capacity boost ahead of the Onam travel season, Southern Railway will increase the Bengaluru-Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express from eight to 16 coaches, adding 598 seats per trip to meet the soaring demand from passengers travelling between Karnataka and Kerala.
The upgraded rake is expected to be introduced in the first week of July, nearly seven months after the train was launched last November, railway sources said.
The move comes after tickets for the August 21 and 22 services, coinciding with the peak Onam travel period, went into the waiting list soon after bookings opened. During festival seasons and long weekends, the train has recorded occupancy levels of 120-140%.
“The train has consistently witnessed exceptional patronage, particularly from Keralites working in Bengaluru. The additional coaches will substantially ease the festive-season rush,” said a senior railway official.
With the augmentation, the seating capacity will rise from 530 to 1,128, enabling 598 more passengers to travel on each trip. Since the train operates six days a week, it will accommodate an additional 6,768 passengers in one direction every week, authorities added.
The Vande Bharat covers the 630-km journey between Bengaluru and Ernakulam in 8 hours and 40 minutes, stopping at just nine stations.