Vistadome coaches a hit with passengers

Passengers enjoy the view from a Vistadome coach

With breathtaking views of the valleys, rivers and waterfalls along the Mumbai-Goa route and the spectacular views of the Western Ghats along the Mumbai-Pune route, Vistadome coaches with glass tops and wide window panes have proved to be a hit with passengers on the Central Railway.

"Central Railway has registered an occupancy of 20,407 passengers registering a revenue of Rs 2.38 crore between October and December 2021. The CSMT-Madgaon-CSMT Janshatabdi Express is the foremost with a 100 per cent occupancy, i.e. 7,754 passengers, registering a revenue of Rs 1.40 crore. The CSMT-Pune-CSMT Deccan Express is close behind with 90.43 per cent or 7,185 passengers and a revenue of Rs 50.96 lakh, followed by the Deccan Queen with 5,468 passengers and a revenue of Rs 46.30 lakh. The Deccan Queen is more popular in the Up direction from Pune to Mumbai with an occupancy of 94.28 per cent," said Shivaji Sutar, chief public relations officer, Central Railway.

Passengers aboard a vistadome coach

Vistadome coaches were first introduced in the Mumbai-Madgaon Janshatabdi Express in 2018. The immense popularity of these coaches led to the introduction of these coaches in the Mumbai-Pune Deccan Express on June 26, 2021. Due to the huge demand from passengers, the second Vistadome coach on Mumbai-Pune Route was attached to Deccan Queen from August 15, 2021.

The unique Vistadome coaches, apart from having a glass roof top, have a number of features like wide window panes, LED lights, rotatable seats and pushback chairs, GPS-based info system, multiple television screens, electrically operated automatic sliding compartment doors, wide side sliding doors for Divyangs, toilets with ceramic tile flooring etc.

The Vistadome coach in the Deccan Queen has been refurbished and decorated by CR's Matunga Workshop.

Rs 2.38c
Revenue from the Vistadome coaches