Southern Railway zone has enabled current ticket bookings for eight Vande Bharat Express trains up to just 15 minutes before their arrival at en route stations. The measure is expected to increase seat occupancy and boost accessibility for spontaneous travellers, especially in urban and industrial corridors.
The Southern Railway has reconfigured its Passenger Reservation System (PRS) to reflect the changes. Previously, once a Vande Bharat train departed from its originating station, current bookings for the same train were disallowed at any subsequent stations. This restriction had left vacant seats unutilised during journey segments, despite high passenger demand. This updated system benefits several key Vande Bharat Express services operating in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Goa. Passengers travelling on these routes can now avail themselves of a more flexible ticketing window, especially helpful in densely connected industrial and business zones where travel plans can change rapidly.
The development aligns with Indian Railways’ broader push for digitisation and real-time ticketing convenience. Officials from the Indian Railways said the initiative is part of ongoing efforts to improve train occupancy rates and ensure optimal resource use. Data shared recently in Parliament indicates that the Vande Bharat Express series has witnessed occupancy rates surpassing 100 per cent in the last two financial years. As per official figures, the trains recorded a 102.01% occupancy rate in FY 2024-25 and 105.03% in FY 2025-26 (up to June).
This change is currently applicable to trains under the Southern Railway zone, including:
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Mangaluru Central-Thiruvananthapuram Central
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Thiruvananthapuram Central-Mangaluru Central
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Chennai Egmore-Nagercoil
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Nagercoil-Chennai Egmore
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Coimbatore-Bengaluru Cantt.
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Mangaluru Central-Madgaon
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Madurai-Bengaluru Cantt.
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Chennai Central-Vijayawada
The new policy ensures that any unbooked seats on these trains can be sold as current bookings even moments before the train’s arrival at a station, enhancing both revenue and ridership. Railway officials stated that the pilot initiative could be expanded to other zones based on its success. By leveraging digital PRS updates and synchronised station-level operations, the Southern Railway is aiming to redefine premium train accessibility.
This passenger-centric approach also holds potential to reduce ticket wastage and avoid undersubscribed routes, helping Indian Railways transition into a leaner, greener, and more efficient transport provider. As Vande Bharat services continue expanding their footprint, such booking reforms reflect the national transporter’s growing commitment to smarter, sustainable mobility solutions.
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