The Mumbai Central–Gandhinagar Capital Vande Bharat Express has now become the longest Vande Bharat train under the Western Railway zone with the addition of four new coaches. Western Railway officials confirmed that the train now operates with 20 coaches, up from the previous 16, in response to growing demand on the popular business and leisure route between Mumbai and Gujarat’s capital.

Of the 20 coaches, 18 are AC Chair Cars and 2 are Executive Chair Cars, offering a total seating capacity of 1,440 passengers—an increase of 312 seats. This makes the train better equipped to serve the rising number of commuters who prefer high-speed, comfortable, and modern rail travel.

The decision to expand the train’s capacity was based on several factors, including passenger feedback, consistently high occupancy, and the train’s popularity. Western Railway authorities said that the Mumbai-Gandhinagar Vande Bharat Express frequently operated at more than 150% of its capacity, reflecting its growing demand among both business travellers and tourists.

“The demand for seats on this route has been increasing steadily. We received several requests from passengers asking for more availability. Based on this feedback and occupancy data, the decision was taken to extend the train to 20 coaches,” said a senior Western Railway official. He added that the additional seats would allow the train to serve approximately 2.7 lakh more passengers annually.

On its first run as a 20-coach train from Gandhinagar to Mumbai, the Vande Bharat Express carried 2,162 passengers—22% more than the train’s official capacity. The service continues to operate six days a week and remains one of the fastest and most preferred options for intercity travel between the two states.

The Vande Bharat Express is known for its superior onboard experience, featuring GPS-based passenger information systems, automatic doors, Wi-Fi, and improved suspension systems for smoother rides. With the new expansion, it is expected that the train will be able to cater to a wider pool of passengers who had previously struggled to get confirmed tickets.

Railway officials also mentioned that they are reviewing similar expansions for other high-demand routes under the Vande Bharat network. The success of the Mumbai-Gandhinagar model may serve as a template for future enhancements across the country.

With this strategic move, the Indian Railways reinforces its commitment to modernising passenger services and addressing the dynamic needs of India’s growing railway user base.

IT.