Commuters on the busy Tirunelveli–Chennai route have a reason to cheer. The Vande Bharat Express (20666/20665), which has been steadily gaining popularity, has been expanded to 20 coaches and began running in its new capacity today (Wednesday).

The train, which started with just eight coaches, was upgraded to 16 coaches in January after strong demand. Now, with four more chair car coaches added, it offers 312 additional seats, taking its total capacity from 1,128 to 1,440.

Passengers can expect a mix of 18 standard chair car coaches and two executive chair car coaches, providing more comfort and space for the daily rush between Tamil Nadu’s southern city and the state capital.

Journey and schedule

The Vande Bharat Express covers the 653-kilometre stretch between Tirunelveli and Chennai in roughly 7 hours and 45 minutes. It departs Tirunelveli at 6.05 am, reaching Chennai Egmore by 1.55 pm, and leaves the capital at 2.45 pm to arrive back at Tirunelveli by 10.30 pm.

It runs every day except Tuesday and stops at six major stations: Tambaram, Villupuram, Tiruchirappalli, Dindigul, Madurai and Virudunagar, making it a convenient high-speed option for travellers along the route.

Meeting passenger demand

The Vande Bharat Express has seen an overwhelming response since its launch. Expanding to 20 coaches will ensure passengers have more seats and a comfortable journey. Railway officials said the latest expansion comes in response to long-standing requests from commuters. The addition of four more coaches reflects the train’s popularity and the strong commercial performance of the Tirunelveli–Chennai corridor.