Vande Bharat Now Allows Online Ticket Booking Just 15 Minutes Before Departure — Big Relief for Last-Minute Travelers
Low Passenger Response for Pune–Nagpur Vande Bharat Express Due to High Fares
Catching a Vande Bharat Express just got easier. Indian Railways has rolled out a new facility allowing passengers to book tickets online up to 15 minutes before the train’s departure from select stations — a major upgrade for those making sudden travel plans.
Introduced by the Southern Railway zone, this feature currently applies to eight Vande Bharat Express routes across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. Earlier, once the train left its origin station, bookings would close for the entire journey, even if seats were available. Now, travelers can grab last-minute tickets at intermediate stops.
Eligible Trains Include:
- 20631 Mangaluru Central – Thiruvananthapuram Central
- 20632 Thiruvananthapuram Central – Mangaluru Central
- 20627 Chennai Egmore – Nagercoil
- 20628 Nagercoil – Chennai Egmore
- 20642 Coimbatore – Bengaluru Cantt.
- 20646 Mangaluru Central – Madgaon
- 20671 Madurai – Bengaluru Cantt.
- 20677 Dr MGR Chennai Central – Vijayawada
How It Works:
- Book through the IRCTC website or Rail Connect app.
- Enter journey details, pick your Vande Bharat train, and check real-time seat availability.
- Choose your boarding station, class (Executive or Chair Car), make payment, and receive an instant confirmed ticket via SMS, WhatsApp, and email.
With over 140 Vande Bharat trains running nationwide, this is part of a pilot program aimed at improving convenience and boosting seat occupancy. Indian Railways plans to extend the service to more routes soon — potentially including high-demand corridors like Delhi–Bihar.
For now, Southern Railway passengers can enjoy a smoother, more flexible booking experience — even if travel plans come together at the very last minute.
