Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat to be longer, faster

TIRUPATI: The Vande Bharat Express trains on the Secunderabad Tirupati route will run faster and carry more than twice the passengers from May 17, South Central Railway said (SCR).

Against eight coaches carrying 530 passengers, the 20701/20702 Vande Bharat trains will have 16 coaches with 1,128 passengers from Wednesday. The travel time in both directions will be reduced by 15 minutes.

SCR  said the Vande Bharat continuously had more than 130 per cent patronage since its first run. It said that till May 15, 44,992 passengers used this train service in both directions.

Starting May 17, the train will have 14 chair cars with a capacity of 1,024 passengers and two executive class coaches with 104 seats. The distance between Secunderabad and Tirupati will be covered in eight hours and 15 minutes, instead of eight and a half hours in both directions. To meet the shorter travel time, the schedule at intermediate halts have been changed.   

As per revised schedule, the train will start from Secunderabad station at 6.15 am and reach Tirupati at 2.30 pm, stopping at Nalgonda at 7.30 am, Guntur 9.35 am, Ongole 11.10 am and Nellore 12.30 pm. The train will leave from Tirupati at 3.15 pm and reach Secunderabad at 11.30 pm.

"By doubling the number of coaches, more rail passengers will be able to utilise the Vande Bharat train services. The reduction in travel time would help train passengers complete their journey faster and more comfortably," stated Arun Kumar Jain, SCR General Manager.