India
oi-Swastika Sruti
Indian Railways’ decision to allow passengers to book vacant seats up to 15 minutes before a train’s departure has significantly improved the performance of Vande Bharat Express services operated by Southern Railway.
Indian Railways enabled booking vacant Vande Bharat seats up to 15 minutes before departure, raising Southern Railway’s FY26 passenger count to 77.38 lakh and revenue to ₹803.86 crore, improving overall seat utilization.
The initiative, introduced to make travel more convenient for last-minute passengers, has helped increase both passenger numbers and railway revenue while improving seat utilisation across several premium trains.
What Is the 15-Minute Current Booking Facility?
The current booking facility allows passengers to reserve available seats until just 15 minutes before a train departs.
Unlike earlier booking systems, travellers can now purchase tickets not only from the train’s originating station but also from intermediate stations along the route if seats remain vacant.
The scheme was introduced on July 17, 2025, with the aim of reducing empty seats and giving passengers greater flexibility for unplanned journeys. At present, the facility is available on eight Vande Bharat Express trains originating under Southern Railway.
Passenger Numbers See Sharp Rise
The new booking policy has had a noticeable impact on ridership.
According to official figures, Southern Railway’s 24 Vande Bharat Express services carried 77.38 lakh passengers during the financial year 2025-26.
In comparison, the same services carried 54.12 lakh passengers in FY25.
The sharp increase reflects the growing popularity of Vande Bharat trains as well as the benefits of allowing last-minute ticket bookings.
Revenue Crosses ₹800 Crore
The rise in passenger traffic has also translated into higher earnings for Indian Railways.
Southern Railway generated ₹803.86 crore in revenue from its Vande Bharat services during FY26.
This marks a significant increase compared to ₹540.65 crore earned in FY25.
The positive trend has continued into the current financial year as well.
During April and May 2026, Vande Bharat services carried 15.21 lakh passengers, generating ₹162.96 crore in revenue within just two months.
Several Trains Record More Than 100% Occupancy
Despite offering last-minute ticket bookings, several Vande Bharat services have continued to witness exceptionally high demand.
According to Southern Railway, the following trains have recorded occupancy levels exceeding 100 per cent, mainly due to passengers boarding and alighting at different stations during the journey:
- Train No. 20631 – Mangaluru Central to Thiruvananthapuram Central
- Train No. 20632 – Thiruvananthapuram Central to Mangaluru Central
- Train No. 20627 – Chennai Egmore to Nagercoil
- Train No. 20628 – Nagercoil to Chennai Egmore
- Train No. 20642 – Coimbatore to Bengaluru Cantonment
- Train No. 20646 – Mangaluru Central to Madgaon
- Train No. 20671 – Madurai to Bengaluru Cantonment
- Train No. 20677 – Dr MGR Chennai Central to Vijayawada
Occupancy exceeding 100 per cent does not mean passengers are travelling without seats. It reflects the efficient utilisation of seats across different sections of the journey, where multiple passengers occupy the same seat on separate travel segments.
Convenience for Last-Minute Travellers
The 15-minute booking facility has proved especially useful for business travellers, tourists and commuters who often make travel plans at short notice.
Instead of leaving empty seats after chart preparation, Indian Railways can now make those seats available until just before departure.
This has increased flexibility for passengers while ensuring that more seats are utilised.
