Here's a list of Indian Railway routes where you can travel in the special Vistadome tourist coaches
Below are details of all the trains in India going through scenic routes where you can enjoy travelling in the special Vistadome tourist coaches, as per recent update so far.
About Vistadome Coaches
Vistadome coaches are special tourist coaches in trains run by the Indian Railways, in trains of daytime journey. These special coaches are equipped with special features to provide a great experience to travellers and tourists who are travelling through scenic railway routes in India.
These Vistadome coaches have features such as large glass windows on the sides, glass windows on the top, fully rotatable seats, air conditioning, GPS-based information system, and even a large glass window at the back of the last coach. All these features will provide you with great views along with great comfort, while travelling through scenic routes.
All Indian Railways routes with Vistadome coaches in India
Without further ado, here are all the Indian Railway routes, along with the train numbers, in which you can currently enjoy a ride in the special Vistadome tourist coaches, in 2023.
The below list contains updates by the Ministry of Railways on 19 October 2023, and before that, on 3 August 2022, and on 11 February 2022; and on 3 November 2023 by Central Railway. I've added some very useful details about each of these spectacularly scenic railway routes.
In the Central Railway zone
- 11007/08 Mumbai-Pune Express.
These trains run in the scenic route through the spectacular Western Ghats between Mumbai and Pune, in Maharashtra. - 12051/52 Mumbai-Madgaon Express.
These trains run between Mumbai in Maharashtra and Madgaon in Goa. This coastal route through the beautiful Konkan coast of Maharashtra and Goa, and also goes through the spectacular Western Ghats that runs along the Konkan coast. - 12123/24 Deccan Queen Express.
These trains also run between Mumbai and Pune. - 12125/26 Mumbai Pune Express.
These trains also run between Mumbai and Pune. - 12025/26 Pune – Secunderabad Express.
These trains run between Pune and Secunderabad. This route from Pune goes through via Solapur in Maharashtra, Kalaburgi in Karnataka, Wadi in Telengana, etc., till Secunderabad near Hyderabad. This route moves through mostly vast agriculture fields and through the picturesque Bhima river and its backwaters of Ujani dam across it. - 52103/52104 Neral - Matheran trains. These narrow guage trains run through the very picturesque mountains around Matheran hill station in Maharashtra, a part of the spectacular Western Ghats mountain range. These trains run between Neral Junction and Matheran railway stations. These trains were resumed on 4 November 2023 where the trains with number 52103/52104 have one Vistadome coach, as tweeted by Central Railway. As these train services will be typically stopped during monsoon season and resumed in other times, you need to check for its availability.
In the East Coast Railway zone
- 18551/52 Visakhapatnam-Kirandul Express.
This train runs between Vishakapatnam (also known as Vizag) in Andhra Pradesh and Kirandul in Chattisgarh, through the scenic Eastern Ghats and the Araku valley. Vistadome coaches are available only up to Araku in this route, running between Visakhapatnam and Araku Valley. - 08546/45 Vishakhapatnam – Koraput Passenger.
This is another train that runs through the scenic Araku valley of the pictureqsue Eastern Ghats. This train runs between Vishakapattanam in Andhra Pradesh and Koraput in Odisha. Koraput is known for the GI tagged Kotpad fabrics, the famous Gupteshwar cave shrine of Lord Shiva which is situated inside a natural cavern with stalactites and stalagmites, Koraput Tribal Coffee and the natural beauty of the place.
In the Northeast Frontier Railway zone
- 15777/78 Alipurduar – New Jalpaiguri Express
These trains run in the scenic route between Alipurduar and New Jalpaiguri junction in northern part of West Bengal. - 15887/88 Guwahati-Badarpur Express
These trains run in the scenic route between Guwahati and Badarpur Junction in Assam. - 12088/87 Guwahati - Naharlagun Express
These trains run in the scenic route between Guwahati and Naharlagun in Assam. - 05888/87 Guwahati – Jorhat Express
This train runs in the scenic route between Guwahati and Jorhat in Assam. - The famed Darjeeling Himalayan Railway narrow gauge route which was mentioned to have Vistadome coaches in 52593/95/98/44, 52541, 52540, 52556 during the 11 February 2022 update has been omitted in this update of 03 August 2022, but it mentions that 10 Narrow Gauge Coaches are being converted into Vistadome coaches at Northeast Frontier Railway, but does not mention for which route these coaches will be used for. It appears like Vistadome coaches in this route may have been discontinued for now. Please check with IRCTC or Indian Railways for more information on this.
The famed Darjeeling Himalayan Railway route (DHR, in short), which is also known as the Toy Train, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a heritage narrow gauge railway line between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling in the northern part of West Bengal. This scenic narrow-gauge railway line was constructed in the year 1879.
In the Western Railway zone
- 20947/48 Ahmedabad-Kevadiya Express
These trains run in the scenic route between Ahmedabad and Kevadia Junction in Gujarat. Kevadia is the nearest railway station to the great Statue of Unity, a colossal statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, standing tall between the Narmada river. This is currently the world's largest statue. - 20949/50 Ahmedabad-Kevadiya Express
These are some more trains running between Ahmedabad and Kevadia. - 52965/66 Dr. Ambedkar Nagar (town formerly known as Mhow) - Patalpani - Kalakund(MG)
This scenic metre-guage route between Mhow and Kalakund in Madhya Pradesh, runs close to the Choral river and the beautiful Patalpani waterfalls in Patal Pani. - 52001/02 Bilimora – Waghai PassengerThis scenic heritage narrow-gauge railway route runs between Billimora and Waghai in Gujarat, through the Western Ghats range here.
- 12009/10 Mumbai – Gandhinagar Express.
This train runs between Mumbai in Maharashtra and Gandhinagar in Gujarat, going through Surat and Ahmedabad along the way. - 52003/04 Billimora-Waghai Passenger
Another pair of trains between Billimora and Waghai in Gujarat.
In the South Western Railway zone
- 16539/40 Yeswantpur-Mangalore Express
This scenic route between Mangaluru (formerly Mangalore) and Yeshwantpur in Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore) runs through the very scenic section of Western Ghats range in Karnataka. At some places the train goes along the tracks which are very high in altitude on the mountains, which provide a great view around. - 16515/16 Yeswantpur-Karwar Express
These trains run between Karwar and Yeshwantpur (in Bangalore). From Karwar to Mangalore, this train travels through the beautiful Karavali or Coastal Karnataka. From Mangalore to Bangalore, it follows the same scenic Western Ghats route as the above trains. - 16575/76 Yeswantpur-Mangalore Express
These are more trains running in the aforementioned scenic railway route between Mangaluru and Bengaluru, in Karnataka. - 16579/80 Yeswantpur-Shivamogga Express
This train runs between Yeshwantpur (in Bengaluru) and Shivamogga (formerly Shimoga), in Karnataka.
Also See: Bengaluru to Mangaluru by train via scenic Sahyadri - the splendid Western Ghats
In the Northern Railway zone
- 52453/54 Kalka - Shimla Mail, and 52459/60 Kalka - Shimla Him Darshan Express.
Yes, this is the famous Narrow Gauge Mountain Hill Railways of India which is a recognised World Heritage Site. This spectacular narrow-gauge scenic route of the Himachal-Hill Railway, runs between Kalka in Haryana and the famed hill station Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. This Shimla-Kalka railway section was commissioned over 100 years ago, in the year 1903. - 04647/48 Pathankot-Baijnath-Paprola
This train runs through the very scenic route between Pathankot in Punjab to Baijnath-Paprola station near Baijnath in Himachal Pradesh. - 04688/04687 Badgam - Banihal
This train runs through the very scenic route in Jammu and Kashmir between Banihal, Anantnag, Srinagar Kashmir, and Badgam railway station which is near Srinagar International Airport. Vistadome coach in this train was newly launched on 19th October 2023.
In the North Eastern Railway zone
- There is no mention of 05319/20 Mailani-Bichia Special(MG) in the recent update on 3rd August 2022. This might be because Vistadome coaches in this route may have been discontinued. Please check with IRCTC or Indian Railways for more information on this. Vistadome in this route was mentioned as available in earlier update of 11 February 2022.
These Mailani-Bichia Special trains run along the very scenic metre gauge route between Mailani junction and Bichia, in Uttar Pradesh. This metre-gauge railway route beginning at Mailani Junction, goes through the Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary, Dudhwa National Park which has the Sonaripur Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, and then crosses over the Kailashpuri Dam bridge and goes through the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary near the Nepal-India border, to reach Bichia in Uttar Pradesh.
In an earlier release in 2019, the Ministry of Railways had mentioned Vistadome coaches being run on the Kangra Valley Railway, Matheran Hill Railway, and Nilgiri Mountain Railway. However, these routes are not included in their updated list of neither 11 February 2022 nor 03 August 2022. So, keep an eye on the news for any further updates.
The above list is based on the updated Vistadome Coaches list of 3rd August 2022 provided by the Ministry of Railways. This report also mentions that 30 Narrow Gauge Vistadome coaches are being manufactured for Kalka Shimla Railway, and also mentions that of 10 Narrow Gauge Coaches are being converted into Vistadome coaches at Northeast Frontier Railway.
I hope the above list helps you enjoy some spectacular scenic routes in India via Vistadome train travel. You can book a ride on the official IRCTC website on a train with Vistadome coaches, that goes in the above routes. Tickets of Vistadome coaches will be priced higher than that of other types of coaches.
Aforementioned Vistadome coaches are LHB coaches, and broad gauge unless mentioned otherwise.
By the way, AC chair cars and coaches which are made of the newer LHB coaches also have quite large glass windows which give you a good view, but not as large as the windows on Vistadome coaches and they're without other features provided by the Vistadome coaches, such as fully rotatable chairs, for example. Such LHB AC coaches are now included in trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, etc., and sometimes in other routes as well.
Here's wishing you happy and splendid scenic journeys in India. Happy travelling!
[1] Status of Vistadome Trains (11 February 2022) - Ministry of Railways, on Press Information Bureau.
[2] Vistadome Coaches (03 August 2022) - Ministry of Railways, on Press Information Bureau.
[3] Year End Review 2017 of Ministry of Railways - Ministry of Railways, on Press Information Bureau.
[4] Dedication of 2 Vistadome Coaches of Nilgiri Mountain Railway - Ministry of Railways, on Press Information Bureau.
[5] Big Boost to Rail Connectivity in North East & Jammu and Kashmir (19 October 2023) - Ministry of Railways, on Press Information Bureau.
[6] Central Railway has decided to resume the services on Neral - Matheran line from 04.11.2023 - Tweet by Central Railway on 3 November 2023, on X (formerly Twitter).
