Indian Railways is set to add a new vistadome coach to the train that runs along the popular Mumbai-Goa route. With large windows and transparent roofs – this addition will offer tourists a glimpse of the stunning Sahyadri mountains, Ulhas river, and more. Here’s all about it. By Eshita Srinivas

Before the end of this year, the wildly popular Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus – Madgaon Tejas Express will feature one more vistadome coach. The premium train gives travellers a closer look at the 21-kilometre-long Bhor Ghat – one of the steepest in the country. It also promises breathtaking views of the Konkan belt – complete with valleys, rivers, and waterfalls. The new coach has come in with the growing popularity of vistadome trains, especially along the Western Ghats.

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Each individual coach on the Mumbai-Goa route will have all the classic features of the other Vistadome trains. This includes LED lights, rotatable seats, pushback chairs, and automatic sliding compartment doors. The gallery space will spotlight large glass windows and transparent roofs – ideal for picture-taking. Reflecting on the popularity of this mode of transportation, Central Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer Shivaji Sutar stated as per a report by The Hindustan Times, “Whether it is the breath-taking views of valleys, rivers, and waterfalls along the Mumbai-Goa route or the spectacular views of the Western Ghats along the Mumbai-Pune route, these coaches have proved to be a hit.”

The CSMT-Madgaon Janshatabdi Express was the first to run with the said coach attached. Soon enough, demand for it grew and the Central Railway attached similar structures to the Deccan Express, Deccan Queen, and Pragati Express along the Mumbai-Pune route. The first vistadome coach on the routine in discussion, however, was first introduced in 2018.

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At the moment five pairs of trains operate with vistadome coaches, a report by Times Now adds. Of these, three run along the Mumbai-Pune route and one each on the Pune-Secunderabad and Mumbai Madgaon routes. More specifically, about 33 such coaches are attached to 23 pairs of trains. Reportedly, nearly 32,000 passengers have hopped on so far – boosting the revenue of the department three folds. In fact, between 2022-2023, this stood at INR 4 crore. Naturally, confirmed tickets are difficult to come by.

Most recently the department added a similar coach to the Pune-Secunderabad Shatabdi Express. “Passengers of the Pune-Secunderabad Shatabdi Express will be able to enjoy the view of the Ujani backwaters and a dam near Bhigwan, famous for many inland and migratory birds,” Sutar stated. Currently, more such structures are in the making, with plans being charted out to determine operational feasibility, traffic justification, and more before their launch. Northeast Frontier Railway is also working on the conversion of 10 narrow-gauge coaches into Vistadome ones.

Related: Travel To These Indian Destinations In Vistadome Coaches

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