With Christmas still weeks away, a popular intercity train service in South India has already run out of seats, leaving hundreds of hopeful travelers in a state of uncertainty. The Bengaluru to Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express is completely sold out for the upcoming holiday season, highlighting a massive surge in festive travel demand.
Holiday Rush Hits Record Levels
Despite there being 24 days remaining until Christmas, the premium train's tickets are not just sold out—bookings have surged past the standard waiting list capacity. This unprecedented early rush indicates that passengers are planning their year-end journeys well in advance, leading to a complete exhaustion of available berths. The situation has created a logistical limbo for many who had planned to use this fast and efficient service to connect with family and friends for the festivities.
Passengers Appeal for Immediate Action
Faced with no available seats, stranded commuters have begun a concerted appeal to the railway authorities. Their primary demand is a pragmatic one: increase the number of coaches on the train from the current 8 to 16. Doubling the capacity, they argue, is a necessary step to accommodate the soaring number of people wishing to travel between Karnataka and Kerala during this peak period. The current eight-coach configuration is clearly insufficient to handle the seasonal spike, causing significant inconvenience.
Broader Implications for Railway Planning
This incident underscores a recurring challenge for Indian Railways during major holidays. The overwhelming response to the Vande Bharat service on this route demonstrates its popularity but also exposes a gap in dynamic capacity management. Analysts suggest that the railways might need to adopt more flexible scheduling and coach augmentation protocols, especially for premium trains connecting major economic and cultural hubs. The Bengaluru-Ernakulam sector is a critical corridor, and the failure to secure a ticket on this high-speed train forces passengers to seek alternatives, often at higher costs or longer travel times.
The news was reported on December 3, 2025, bringing the issue to public attention. As the holiday season approaches, all eyes will be on the railway administration to see if it responds to the passengers' plea and adds extra coaches to ease the festive travel crunch.
