Indian Railways has introduced a new feature allowing passengers to book confirmed tickets for Vande Bharat Express trains up to 15 minutes before departure. This initiative, launched on select Southern Railway routes, is designed to provide more flexibility for last-minute travel while improving seat utilization. The facility is currently available on eight Vande Bharat trains operating in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
Passengers boarding from en route stations can avail this update both through the IRCTC website and app, as well as at physical PRS counters. No additional charges apply for last-minute bookings and standard fares remain in effect.
To book, travellers should log in to their IRCTC account, enter journey details, check real-time seat availability, select the travel class (Chair Car or Executive), make the payment, and instantly receive their e-ticket. This convenience is expected to reduce vacant seats and make train travel more accessible for spontaneous trips.
Though initially limited to eight routes, including Mangaluru–Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai–Nagercoil, and Madurai–Bengaluru, expansion is anticipated. Standard cancellation policies apply, and this move marks a significant step towards smarter, tech-enabled railway services
