People heading from Bengaluru to Kerala for Christmas and New Year are finding the Bengaluru-Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express booked out.
Heavy festive rush has pushed both confirmed tickets and waiting lists to capacity, leaving many travellers unsure if they can use the train or must switch to costlier buses, flights, or slower trains.
The squeeze affects both onward and return journeys. Tickets from Bengaluru to Ernakulam between December 20 and 25 are no longer available. Seats for the reverse trip, from Ernakulam to Bengaluru, are also almost gone. Many passengers returning after holidays are struggling to find space on preferred dates.
Bengaluru-Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express festive bookings and key dates
Railway booking data shows the most crucial holiday window is effectively closed on this route. Outbound travel from Bengaluru for Christmas week is sold out, while return travel between December 28 and January 4 is nearly fully booked. Fresh reservations on the Bengaluru-Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express during these dates are either unavailable or limited to long waiting lists.
For many who work in Bengaluru and visit family in Kerala, this window is vital. Travellers usually leave just before Christmas and return before offices reopen in early January. This year, even people planning weeks earlier have been pushed to waiting lists, adding uncertainty to already tight festival schedules.
| Direction | Route | High-demand dates | Status reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| Onward | Bengaluru → Ernakulam | December 20-25 | No tickets available |
| Return | Ernakulam → Bengaluru | December 28-January 4 | Seats taken on most days |
Bengaluru-Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express schedule, route and timings
The Bengaluru-Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express has become popular because it cuts journey time and offers daytime travel. The train takes about 8 hours and 40 minutes between KSR Bengaluru and Ernakulam Junction, which is quicker than many conventional trains and avoids overnight road travel on busy highways.
The service runs on all days except Wednesday. From Bengaluru, it leaves KSR station at 5:10 am and reaches Ernakulam Junction at 1:50 pm. On the return leg, it starts from Ernakulam at 2:20 pm and is scheduled to arrive in Bengaluru at around 11:00 pm, giving passengers full-day travel in both directions.
| Train | Direction | Departure | Arrival | Days of operation | Approx. duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengaluru-Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express | Bengaluru → Ernakulam | 5:10 am | 1:50 pm | All days except Wednesday | 8 hours 40 minutes |
| Bengaluru-Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express | Ernakulam → Bengaluru | 2:20 pm | 11:00 pm | All days except Wednesday | 8 hours 40 minutes |
The Bengaluru-Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express also links several major centres in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, not just the two terminal cities. It stops at Krishnarajapuram, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Palakkad, and Thrissur, creating a busy corridor for commuters, families, and business travellers between these industrial and residential hubs.
Because of these intermediate halts, seats are shared by passengers travelling varied distances. People boarding between Salem and Coimbatore, or Palakkad and Thrissur, compete for space with end-to-end travellers. During peak seasons, this wide catchment worsens the crunch on the Bengaluru-Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express, particularly around Christmas and New Year.
At present, the Bengaluru-Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express operates with 8 coaches. Regular users say this is far from enough during peak periods. Many are urging rail authorities to increase the rake length to 16 coaches, at least during the festive rush, so that more passengers can secure confirmed seats on preferred dates.
Some travellers are also seeking an extra Vande Bharat service on the same route. They argue that another train, even temporarily, could ease pressure on this high-demand stretch linking Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. Without added capacity, passengers face either very early planning or shifting to more expensive or slower options.
The Bengaluru-Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express entered regular service on November 11, after being flagged off by the Prime Minister through video conference from Varanasi as part of a wider national rollout. Since launch, it has built a strong following among those travelling for work, family visits, and religious events, and the current festive booking trend underlines how demand now outstrips available seats on this route.