Coimbatore-Chennai Vande Bharat Demand Soars: Travellers Urge Railways to Double Coaches to 16
मुख्य बातें
- •Coimbatore–Chennai Vande Bharat Express (Train No. 20643/44) runs six days a week, excluding Wednesdays
- •Travellers demand doubling of coaches from eight to sixteen due to high demand and long waiting lists
- •Train schedule: departs Coimbatore at 6:00 a.m., reaches Chennai at 11:50 a.m.; returns at 2:15 p.m., reaches Coimbatore at 8:15 p.m.
- •Coimbatore Junction operates two Vande Bharat services, both with eight-coach rakes
- •Out of 162 Vande Bharat services, 90 run with eight coaches, 34 with 16, and 38 with 20
- •Nearly four crore passengers used Vande Bharat services in FY 2025–26, up 34% year-on-year
Public welfare groups representing passengers in Coimbatore have urged the Southern Railway to increase the number of coaches in the Coimbatore–Chennai Vande Bharat Express (Train Number 20643/20644) from eight to sixteen. The train, which runs six days a week—excluding Wednesdays—has seen consistently high demand, with long waiting lists for confirmed tickets.
N. Subramanian, General Secretary of the Podanur Train Users’ Association, highlighted the surge in patronage. “Many passengers cannot secure confirmed reservations even several days in advance,” he said. “The current eight-coach rake is inadequate to meet the growing demand on this crucial route.” He added that the train has become a preferred choice for business travellers, office-goers, students, tourists, and senior citizens due to its speed, comfort, punctuality, and modern amenities.
