Vande Bharat express popular, but fare keeps many away

Zipping past on a train which offers the comfort of a first-class cruise has helped Vande Bharat win hearts.

But the costly fare between Bengaluru and Mysuru means 50 per cent of the seats remain vacant, with the 10-lane expressway set to pose a tough competition in the coming days.

During a familiarisation tour of the train organised for mediapersons, the high fare was an issue that came up repeatedly in interactions with passengers.

The journey from Bengaluru to Mysuru costs Rs 515, while the return direction costs Rs 720.

According to officials from South Western Railway, the Vande Bharat train service introduced last month has become a hit between Bengaluru and Chennai, with the average seat occupancy at nearly 100 per cent.

“The occupancy on Bengaluru-Mysuru route is 53 per cent, while in the return direction it is 45 per cent. It goes up to 80 per cent during festival days or some weekends. But on an average, 50 per cent of the seats remain vacant. We hope to attract more passengers in the coming days,” a senior official told DH.

Krishna Prasad of the Karnataka Railway Vedike said the Railways need to look into the fares to attract more passengers.

“There are never enough trains on the Bengaluru-Mysuru route. However, the Railways do not have to run Vande Bharat train half empty. At the least, it should be ready to compete with the AC-class buses, where the fare is less than Rs 300,” he said.

He noted that public transport should discourage private vehicles. “If the 10-lane expressway opens, we will see more people shifting to their own cars. The railways should ensure it doesn’t lose its commuters,” he said.

Asked about the possibility of revising the fares to attract more passengers, officials said such a decision cannot be taken in isolation.

“The entire Chennai-Mysuru section’s revenue will be considered while evaluating the commercial returns. However, suggestions of the commuters will be considered,” the official said.

Deepak N T, an entrepreneur travelling to Bengaluru, said he booked the ticket “for the sake of experience”.

“I had seen news and videos of the airplane-like interiors and wanted to experience it once. I wouldn’t travel on the train on a regular basis,” he said.