Vande Bharat: Huge response for ticket booking, super hit on day 1

Thiruvananthapuram: The ticket booking for the Thiruvananthapuram Kasaragod Vande Bharat train gets an overwhelming response. Within some time after the ticket booking for the train was opened at 8 am on Sunday, the tickets in the Executive Class were wait-listed.

Confirmed tickets are not available for the Executive Class in any service of the train until May 1. There is a high demand for Chair Car tickets also. The train has 1024 Chair Car seats and 104 Executive Class tickets. Only 200 to 300 seats are currently available in the Chair Car class for the services until May 1.

The tickets for Vande Bharat can be booked through the IRCTC website, mobile application and through the reservation counters at the stations.

Ticket rates
The travel from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod would cost Rs 1,590 in the Chair Car while the ticket rate is Rs 2,880 in the Executive Class of the train. The return travel charges from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram are Rs 1,520 for the Chair Car and Rs 2,815 for the Executive Class. This includes the charges for the food served on board. While booking the ticket, one can also opt not to get the food on board.

The ticket rate would be reduced accordingly if the traveller does not require food.

On the onward journey from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasargod, tea/ coffee, biscuits, breakfast and lunch would be served. As there are three meals included in the onward journey, the ticket charge is high inclusive of the food. On the return journey from Kasaragod, evening high tea and dinner - two meals would only be served. The ticket rate for the return journey is lower because of this difference in the number of meals served. If the traveller opts out of the food option, the ticket rate is the same for both onward and return journeys – Rs 1265 for Chair Car and Rs 2500 for the Executive Class.

Vrindhavan Foods based in Delhi, which caters for the food on the Rajadhani train, has received the food contract for Vande Bharat also. Even if one opts not to get food on the train along with the ticket, it can be bought by paying money on board, if needed.

Executive Class is a luxury
The Executive Class in Vande Bharat boasts of many luxuries. This class has the highest ticket rate on the train. The 16-car Vande Bharat train has 2 Executive Class coaches. Each coach has 52 seats, adding up to a total of 104 Executive Class seats.

The major attraction of the Executive Class seats is that the seats can be rotated in 180 degrees. Wide glasses are also fixed to get a panoramic view of the outside.

The Executive Class in Vande Bharat is on par with the business class on flights. The snack table is on the armrest of the seat like in aeroplanes.

Compared to the Chair Car seat, the seats in the Executive Class can be pushed back further down to make them reclining seats. Retractable footrests are also there to raise the legs while in the reclining position. The code for Executive class coaches is E 1 and E 2.