Indian Railways has made the expansion of Train No. 22961/22962 Mumbai Central–Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express from 16 to 20 coaches a permanent feature, effective from journeys starting April 28, 2026. The additional four coaches include three AC Chair Car coaches and one Executive Class coach, significantly enhancing seating capacity on one of the country’s busiest inter-city routes.
The move follows sustained high demand for the service since its launch. What was initially introduced as a temporary measure to manage peak travel has now been formalised, reflecting Indian Railways’ effort to align capacity with consistently rising passenger volumes.
So far, 162 Vande Bharat services have been operationalised across the network, cutting travel times by up to 45% on several routes. Of these, 90 services run with 8 coaches, 38 with 20 coaches, and 34 with 16 coaches. This means roughly 23.45% of the services now operate with 20-coach formations, while about 21% continue with 16 coaches, and the rest remain in the 8-coach configuration.
Covering a distance of 491 kilometres in approximately five hours and 30 minutes, the Mumbai–Ahmedabad route includes stops at Borivali, Vapi, Surat, and Vadodara. It connects two of western India’s most economically dynamic cities and caters to a wide range of passengers, including business travellers, students, daily commuters, and tourists.
Passenger uptake has been strong. Nearly 4 crore passengers travelled on Vande Bharat services in FY 2025–26, marking a year-on-year growth of around 34%. Since its introduction in 2019, the service has carried over 9.1 crore passengers across more than one lakh trips. Network occupancy has consistently exceeded 100%, underscoring sustained demand.
The growing preference for Vande Bharat trains reflects changing travel expectations, with passengers prioritising speed, comfort, and punctuality. Features such as faster acceleration, cleaner coaches, improved onboard experience, and better timekeeping have contributed to their popularity.
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Indian Railways has been scaling up capacity across high-demand corridors as part of a broader, data-driven strategy. The permanent upgrade of the Mumbai–Ahmedabad service fits into this wider push to meet evolving passenger needs.
In addition to this route, the 20901/20902 Gandhinagar Capital–Mumbai Central Vande Bharat Express provides another key high-speed link between Gujarat and Maharashtra, connecting Gandhinagar and the Ahmedabad region with Mumbai.
Vande Bharat trains, designed as semi-high-speed services, come equipped with modern safety and passenger-friendly features. These include the KAVACH safety system, automatic plug doors, ergonomic reclining seats, and revolving seats in Executive Class. Onboard facilities include a mini pantry, charging points at every seat, CCTV surveillance, and dedicated accessible lavatories for Divyangjan passengers.
The permanent shift to a 20-coach configuration on the Mumbai–Ahmedabad route reflects a broader transformation underway in Indian Railways, as it expands capacity to match the growing demand for faster and more comfortable travel.
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