The Secunderabad-Tirupati-Secunderabad Vande Bharat Express has become very popular since it started running. It has had more than 130% patronage in both directions. To meet the demand, the train now has double the number of coaches and more than double the seating capacity. This means it can carry 1,128 passengers, up from 530. The train made its first trip with the extra coaches on Wednesday and had 109% patronage.
The South Central Railway has also reduced the travel time by 15 minutes in each direction to make the journey faster. The General Manager of SCR said that meeting passenger demands is a top priority. One passenger said he had been waiting to travel on the Vande Bharat Express since it started running, and was happy to finally have the chance. Another passenger was surprised at how quickly they reached Tirupati, in just 8.15 hours.
