Western Railway has permanently augmented the 20901/20902 Vande Bharat Express with four additional AC chair car coaches.
The upgraded configuration began operations on May 11, dramatically enhancing daily passenger capacity on one of India’s busiest intercity routes. The Vande Bharat Express, a flagship service under Indian Railways’ initiative to modernise long-distance train travel, now boasts 16 coaches, increasing its total seating capacity by 312 seats per journey. With the train operating six days a week in both directions, this enhancement translates into 936 additional seats daily and 5,616 weekly. On a monthly scale, nearly 22,500 more passengers will be accommodated—an impactful step in improving rail access on the Mumbai–Gandhinagar corridor.
Officials from Western Railway confirmed that the expansion was made permanent following persistent demand from commuters, particularly business travellers who depend on timely, comfortable, and sustainable mobility options between Maharashtra and Gujarat. The service caters predominantly to weekday traffic, serving the needs of professionals, entrepreneurs, students, and government employees commuting between the two economic hubs. This upgrade is emblematic of a broader shift in Indian Railways’ infrastructure strategy—one that balances efficiency with sustainability. The Vande Bharat Express, also known as Train 18, represents a transformative approach to rail travel in India. Designed and manufactured domestically under the Make in India initiative, the train combines modern engineering with energy-efficient features, reducing the carbon footprint per passenger kilometre when compared to traditional diesel-powered locomotives or road transport.
Each coach of the Vande Bharat Express is equipped with smart features such as automatic sliding doors, onboard Wi-Fi, GPS-based passenger information systems, and bio-vacuum toilets. But its most notable feature lies in its regenerative braking system, which feeds electricity back into the grid—underscoring the train’s credentials as a green alternative to air or road travel. In addition to comfort and speed—covering the Mumbai Central to Gandhinagar Capital route in under six hours—the train has emerged as a symbol of a shifting mobility paradigm. Experts point out that efficient, high-speed rail corridors like this one not only ease congestion on highways and at airports but also provide a viable solution to curbing urban pollution and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
With each expansion of Vande Bharat services, Indian Railways is progressively aligning itself with national climate goals that target net-zero carbon emissions by 2070. This focus on sustainability is particularly critical for megacities like Mumbai, where road congestion, vehicular emissions, and infrastructure bottlenecks remain perennial challenges. By facilitating a shift from private to public transport on long-distance routes, the railways are directly contributing to building cleaner and more equitable urban environments. Officials from the operations team also noted that the permanent addition of coaches will help optimise operational costs and increase overall passenger load factors—thereby making the service more economically viable in the long run. While Vande Bharat trains are more expensive to manufacture and operate compared to legacy models, the improved occupancy rate offers a pathway to financial sustainability, especially on high-demand sectors like Mumbai-Gandhinagar.
From a policy perspective, this move also speaks to Indian Railways’ broader vision of creating ‘smart corridors’ that connect economic centres with fast, efficient, and green mobility. These initiatives are supported by parallel investments in station redevelopment, solar power infrastructure, and electrification of railway lines, reinforcing the sector’s role in India’s sustainable development trajectory. Passenger feedback on the route has been largely positive. Regular commuters highlight the train’s punctuality, cleanliness, and smooth ride experience. For many, it eliminates the need for short-haul flights or overnight journeys, saving both time and cost. Moreover, the train’s accessibility and inclusive design—including provisions for differently-abled passengers—also align with a vision of equitable mobility.
There remain, however, certain operational and logistical challenges. Peak-hour demand still outstrips supply on some days, and experts have urged railway authorities to consider dynamic pricing, time-table adjustments, and digital ticketing solutions to further streamline passenger experience. Additionally, questions remain about extending similar upgrades to other corridors where Vande Bharat services have been introduced, such as Delhi-Varanasi and Chennai-Mysuru. Nevertheless, the move to permanently expand the Mumbai–Gandhinagar service marks a clear step forward. It not only addresses immediate passenger demand but also positions the Vande Bharat Express as a catalyst for sustainable urban and intercity mobility. With the summer travel season underway and business travel bouncing back post-pandemic, the added capacity comes at a critical juncture.
The railways’ push towards indigenous innovation, customer satisfaction, and sustainability echoes global transport trends where speed, reliability, and environmental impact are paramount. In that sense, the latest expansion of the Vande Bharat Express is more than just an operational tweak—it is a signal of the future of mobility in India. While cities across India struggle with urban sprawl, traffic congestion, and the environmental cost of unplanned growth, efforts like these offer a blueprint for integrating clean transport solutions into mainstream planning. The role of railways, long underappreciated in the debate around sustainable cities, is finally being acknowledged—and the Vande Bharat Express, with its blend of speed, service, and sustainability, stands at the centre of this transformation.
Also Read : Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains Get Financial Boost
