Indian Railways is constantly working to make the ticket booking process easier for passengers.
As part of this effort, a special initiative has been launched. Under the new system, passengers no longer need to book their train tickets far in advance to get a reserved seat.
This facility is currently available on select routes of eight Vande Bharat trains, where tickets can be booked up to 15 minutes before the train reaches the station.
This change will make it easier for passengers to get reservations, especially when seats are available at the last minute.
Currently, in many trains, bookings are required weeks or even months in advance.
\What Has Changed?
Indian Railways has made improvements in the Passenger Reservation System (PRS).
The update allows passengers to book tickets through current booking up to 15 minutes before the arrival of Vande Bharat trains — but only at intermediate stations along the route.
However, this system is currently being implemented only in the Southern Railway Zone.
What Officials Say
According to a report in The Indian Express, a Southern Railway official confirmed that passengers can now reserve seats 15 minutes before departure at all stations covered by these 8 Vande Bharat trains.
Earlier, reservations were only allowed before the train departed from its starting station. There was no system to allow real-time reservations at stations along the route.
This new system is expected to make travel more convenient for many passengers, especially those traveling on short notice.
144 Vande Bharat Trains Running in India
Currently, there are 144 Vande Bharat trains running across various parts of the country. But this 15-minute booking facility is available only on 8 specific trains under the Southern Railway Zone for now.
These Are the 8 Vande Bharat Trains With 15-Minute Booking Facility:
20631 Mangaluru Central – Thiruvananthapuram Central Vande Bharat Express
20632 Thiruvananthapuram Central – Mangaluru Central Vande Bharat Express
20627 Chennai Egmore – Nagercoil Vande Bharat Express
20628 Nagercoil – Chennai Egmore Vande Bharat Express
20642 Coimbatore – Bengaluru Cantt Vande Bharat Express
20646 Mangaluru Central – Madgaon Vande Bharat Express
20671 Madurai – Bengaluru Cantt Vande Bharat Express
20677 Dr MGR Chennai Central – Vijayawada Vande Bharat Express
This initiative by Indian Railways is expected to greatly benefit last-minute travelers and improve the overall travel experience. Let’s see if this system is extended to other zones in the future.
