In a major boost for rail passengers, the Railway Board has sanctioned a 16-coach Vande Bharat Express for the Thiruvananthapuram–Mangaluru route. Currently operating with just eight coaches via Alappuzha, the popular service often sees tickets selling out quickly due to high demand and limited seats.

To address this, the 16-coach train formerly running on the Nagercoil–Chennai route has now been reassigned to the Palakkad division. This was made possible as the Nagercoil–Chennai stretch is set to receive a brand-new 20-coach Vande Bharat train later this week.

With this upgrade, the Thiruvananthapuram–Mangaluru service will see a significant rise in capacity, adding 530 more seats for passengers. The upgraded 16-coach service is expected to start operations within a week.

The Mangaluru–Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat departs at 6:25 am and arrives at 3:05 pm, while the return journey begins at 4:05 am and reaches Mangaluru at 12:40 pm.

Recently, the Thiruvananthapuram–Kasargod Vande Bharat via Kottayam was upgraded to a 20-coach configuration, prompting similar demands from passengers on the Mangaluru route. Officials have indicated that if the expanded 16-coach service proves financially viable, it may soon be extended to a full 20-coach train.