In a move to boost passenger capacity on one of India’s busiest high-speed rail corridors, Indian Railways has increased the composition of the Mumbai Central–Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express from 16 to 20 coaches, citing consistently high demand and strong occupancy levels.

According to an official statement, the upgrade is part of a wider capacity expansion strategy across premium rail routes, where Vande Bharat trains have seen sustained passenger growth since their introduction.

The 491-km semi-high-speed service linking Mumbai Central and Ahmedabad currently completes its journey in about 5 hours and 30 minutes, with scheduled halts at key stations including Borivali, Vapi, Surat, and Vadodara. The route connects two major economic centres in western India and remains one of the most heavily trafficked corridors in the network.

The railways said that 162 Vande Bharat services are now operational across the country. Of these, 38 trains run with 20-coach configurations, 34 with 16 coaches, and 90 with 8-coach rakes. Officials noted that nearly a quarter of the fleet has already been upgraded to higher-capacity formations as demand continues to outstrip supply on several routes.

Since its rollout in 2019, the Vande Bharat network has carried more than 9.1 crore passengers over roughly 1 lakh trips. The railways reported a sharp rise in usage, with nearly 4 crore passengers travelling in the 2025–26 financial year alone, reflecting a year-on-year growth of about 34%.

Officials also highlighted consistently high occupancy levels across the network, often exceeding full capacity, underscoring strong public preference for faster travel times, improved punctuality, and upgraded onboard services compared to conventional trains.

Separately, the Gandhinagar Capital–Mumbai Central Vande Bharat Express, operating under train numbers 20901/20902, continues to serve passengers between Gujarat and Maharashtra. The service also supports connectivity across the broader Ahmedabad–Gandhinagar region, catering to business travellers, daily commuters, and administrative movement.

The statement added that passenger comfort features across Vande Bharat trains include automatic sliding doors, ergonomic reclining seats, and rotating executive-class seating. Onboard facilities such as mini pantry units, bottle coolers, deep freezers, and hot water systems are also part of the service offering.

With ANI inputs