Onam Rush Forces Vande Bharat to Double Its Coaches

INDIA: Railway Supply previously reported that the Bengaluru–Ernakulam Vande Bharat would double from 8 to 16 coaches; what wasn’t yet clear was how badly that capacity was needed — waitlists on the route had already topped 100 passengers for one direction before the extra coaches even entered service.

The upgraded 16-coach rake begins operating Aug. 17, doubling seating from 530 to 1,128, according to Kerala Kaumudi. Booking data cited by Onmanorama showed the chair-car waitlist had already crossed 100 for departures on Aug. 21-22, while confirmed return tickets were completely unavailable between Aug. 29 and 31 — the peak of the Onam travel season, when expatriate Keralites and students return home for the festival.

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A demand raised months earlier

The expansion follows a specific request: Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden had asked in the Lok Sabha for the train’s capacity to be increased to 20 coaches, not the 16 that were ultimately approved, according to Kerala Kaumudi. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had separately signaled the increase was coming before the Railway Board’s formal order. The service, which began in November 2025, filled up quickly enough to become one of the busiest premium trains on the Bengaluru–Kerala corridor within months of launch.

A political framing on top of the logistics

Kerala’s BJP unit has described the coach increase as an “Onam gift” from the central government, with party national executive member P.K. Krishnadas crediting the Railway Ministry’s order, according to India.com. The announcement does not specify whether the additional eight coaches are a permanent augmentation or tied specifically to the festival travel window.

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