As the monsoons paint the Western Ghats a vibrant green, three pairs of trains with new Vistadome coaches are travelling by the region’s forests, valleys and waterfalls to give passengers a stunning view of these ancient hills.
Run by the South Western Railways, the revamped trains began operations this July and connect Yesvantpur, Karwar and Mangaluru. Their Vistadome tickets are priced at Shatabdi Executive Class fares, as they provide unmatched views of the surrounding scenery using glass ceilings, wide windows, an observation lounge and 180-degree rotatable seats.
Planning a trip? Book here:
Passengers have been excited for the Sakleshpur Ghat–Subrahmanya Road stretch on this route, as it has slopes with twisty turns, misty forests and views of spice plantations.
To book your ride on these Vistadome trains, you can choose between:
- Train no. 06211/06212 Yesvantpur–Karwar–Yesvantpur Tri-weekly Express Special
- Train no. 06575/06576 Yesvantpur–Mangaluru Jn–Yesvantpur Tri-weekly Special (Gomateshwara Express)
- Train no. 06539/06540 Yesvantpur–Mangaluru Jn-Yesvantpur Express Special
If you want a different route, then Vistadome tickets are also available on the Deccan Express between Mumbai and Pune, as well as the Jan Shatabdi Express between Mumbai and Margao (Goa).
Check their schedules and book directly on ixigo:
- 01007 CSMT Mumbai–Pune Deccan Express (Daily)
- 01008 Pune–CSMT Mumbai Deccan Express (Daily)
- 12051 Dadar–Madgaon Jan Shatabdi Express (Daily)
- 12052 Madgaon–Dadar Jan Shatabdi Express (Daily)
Also Read | More Vistadome coaches launched in August: see Bengal, Assam routes!
The Railways has launched Vistadome coach trains on hillside routes many times in the past. The service was previously active on the Kalka–Shimla, Visakhapatnam–Araku, Darjeeling toy train, Neral–Matheran toy train and Nilgiri Mountain Railway routes.
Tourist requests for Vistadome trains are currently sky-high, as people warm up to train journeys after the pandemic. The Centre had confirmed in this year’s Rail Budget that more of these coaches will be introduced on scenic routes to boost domestic travel.
Recently, media reports have suggested that 49 more Vistadome coaches will be introduced by March 2022 to meet this demand.
Fingers crossed that one shows up near you!
