Nagpur: The remarkable success of the Ajni-Pune-Ajni Vande Bharat Express has reignited demands for a similar premium semi-high-speed service between Nagpur and Mumbai, with railway passengers and travel experts arguing that the time has come to connect Maharashtra’s Second Capital with the State’s financial capital through a faster and more comfortable rail service.

When the Ajni-Pune Vande Bharat Express (Train Nos. 26101/26102) was introduced, many had expressed doubts about its viability, believing that a daytime train would struggle to attract passengers. However, the service has exceeded expectations, attracting consistently high occupancy since its launch.

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According to Central Railway sources, the overwhelming passenger response has been so encouraging that authorities are now considering increasing the number of coaches to meet the growing demand.

Railway observers believe the same success story could be replicated on the Nagpur-Mumbai corridor, one of Maharashtra’s busiest railway routes, where passengers continue to face long waiting lists throughout the year.

Six-hour morning window available

One of the strongest arguments supporting the proposal is the availability of a suitable morning time slot. At present, Train No. 12860 Howrah-Mumbai Gitanjali Express, departing Nagpur at around 7.45 am, is the only daily train available for Mumbai during the morning hours.

After its departure, passengers have to wait nearly six hours, with the next daily trains leaving only between 1.30 pm and 2 pm.

Although Train No. 12870 Howrah-Mumbai Express and Train No. 22512 Kamakhya-Mumbai Karmabhoomi Express also depart during the morning, both operate only on specific days of the week and are not daily services.

Railway experts believe this substantial gap provides sufficient scope for introducing a daytime Vande Bharat Express, subject to technical feasibility studies, track capacity assessments and operational clearances.

Heavy rush despite 19 weekly trains

On paper, Nagpur is connected to Mumbai by 19 train services every week. However, railway officials point out that most of these trains originate from distant stations outside Nagpur and are already heavily booked before reaching the city.

As a result, passengers boarding from Nagpur often struggle to secure confirmed reservations, especially during weekends, holidays and festive seasons.

Adding to the challenge is the fact that only two regular trains originate and terminate in Nagpur.

These are:

• Nagpur-Mumbai Duronto Express (12289/12290)

• Nagpur-Mumbai Sewagram Express (12139/12140)

Both services reportedly operate with consistently high occupancy throughout the year.

Earlier, the Vidarbha Express (12105/12106) also originated from Nagpur. However, the service now starts and terminates at Gondia, reducing the number of Mumbai-bound trains originating from Nagpur.

To meet growing passenger demand, Indian Railways has also introduced the Nagpur-Mumbai Special Train (02142). Railway observers say the operation of this special service itself reflects the mounting pressure on the existing network.

Passengers travelling between Nagpur and Mumbai continue to face lengthy waiting lists across all major trains. Confirmed reservations in the Duronto, Sewagram Express and the special train are difficult to obtain throughout the year, particularly during weekends.

Current reservation trends show that for the coming weekend, several Mumbai-bound trains from Nagpur have already reached “No Room” status in Third AC Economy (3E) and Third AC (3A) classes, while waiting lists have begun building up in Sleeper and Second AC coaches.

Travel experts believe that introducing a Vande Bharat Express on this corridor could substantially ease congestion and offer a reliable premium travel option to more than 1,000 passengers every day.

Pune route offers a successful model

Railway observers point out that the Nagpur-Pune route once faced a similar situation, with passengers struggling to secure confirmed tickets.

The introduction of the Ajni-Pune Vande Bharat has significantly improved travel convenience, carrying over 1,000 passengers daily and emerging as one of Central Railway’s most successful premium services.

Its sustained popularity has prompted discussions on doubling the train’s coach composition, demonstrating the growing acceptance of daytime premium rail travel.

The Nagpur-Mumbai Duronto Express currently covers the 835-km journey in around 12 hours, making it one of the fastest conventional trains on the route.

Railway experts believe a Vande Bharat service could provide passengers with a modern travel experience featuring improved comfort, faster acceleration, enhanced onboard amenities and better punctuality while complementing the existing train network.

With Nagpur rapidly emerging as the geographical, industrial and logistics hub of central India, passenger groups believe a Vande Bharat Express linking Nagpur with Mumbai would not only improve connectivity but also strengthen business, educational and tourism links between Maharashtra’s two most important cities.

Although Indian Railways has not made any official announcement regarding such a proposal, the success of the Ajni-Pune Vande Bharat has significantly strengthened public demand for extending the premium semi-high-speed network to the Nagpur-Mumbai corridor.