Bengaluru: In a move aimed at maximising seat occupancy and enhancing passenger convenience, Southern Railway has introduced a system upgrade allowing current booking of Vande Bharat Express trains from enroute stations up to 15 minutes before departure. The modification, effective from July 17, marks a key improvement in the Passenger Reservation System (PRS) for eight high-speed train services originating in the Southern Railway zone.

Until now, passengers at intermediate stations could not access current bookings once the train had departed from its originating station. As a result, seats left vacant due to last-minute cancellations or no-shows often went unutilised. The latest update eliminates this inefficiency by unlocking those vacant seats for current booking at subsequent halts.

Railway officials say the move will especially benefit passengers in tier-two cities and smaller towns where these trains have scheduled halts. It allows greater flexibility for last-minute travellers and reduces the number of unoccupied seats on premium trains.

“The system upgrade enables real-time inventory access and reflects Indian Railways’ commitment to modernising operations and improving efficiency,” a senior railway official said.

Passengers can avail this facility at station reservation counters or through digital platforms, depending on availability.