The Southern Railway has updated its Passenger Reservation System (PRS) to incorporate recent changes. Previously, once a Vande Bharat train left its starting station, new bookings for that train were prohibited at any later stations.
This limitation resulted in unoccupied seats during segments of the journey, despite a significant demand from passengers. The revised system now benefits several important Vande Bharat Express services operating in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Goa. Passengers traveling on these routes can now take advantage of a more adaptable ticketing window, which is particularly beneficial in highly interconnected industrial and business areas where travel plans may change swiftly.
This advancement is in line with Indian Railways’ larger initiative towards digitisation and the convenience of real-time ticketing. Officials from Indian Railways have stated that this initiative is part of ongoing efforts to enhance train occupancy rates and ensure the optimal use of resources.
Recent data presented in Parliament reveals that the Vande Bharat Express series has experienced occupancy rates exceeding 100 percent over the past two financial years. According to official statistics, the trains achieved 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:
- Mangaluru Central-Thiruvananthapuram Central
- Thiruvananthapuram Central-Mangaluru Central
- Chennai Egmore-Nagercoil
- Nagercoil-Chennai Egmore
- Coimbatore-Bengaluru Cantt.
- Mangaluru Central-Madgaon
- Madurai-Bengaluru Cantt.
- Chennai Central-Vijayawada
The newly implemented policy guarantees that any seats not booked on these trains may be sold as current bookings, even just moments prior to the train’s arrival at a station, thereby improving both revenue and passenger numbers. Railway officials have indicated that the pilot program could be extended to additional zones depending on its success. By utilizing digital PRS updates and coordinated station-level operations, the Southern Railway aims to transform the accessibility of premium train services.
This approach, which prioritizes passengers, also has the potential to minimize ticket wastage and prevent routes from being underutilized, assisting Indian Railways in evolving into a more streamlined, environmentally friendly, and efficient transportation provider. As Vande Bharat services continue to broaden their reach, these booking reforms signify the national transporter’s increasing dedication to innovative and sustainable mobility solutions.
