Trains versus planes: The race hots up as new factors come into play

With the launch of several Vande Bharat trains in the past few months, Indian trains have started eating into the customer base of airlines. And it's not just higher speed of the new trains. They are now also competing with airlines on amenities and customer experience, something unimaginable just a decade ago.

In terms of comfort and luxury, train coaches are evolving into hotel suites. Recently, the Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala, showcased its newest creation, which has features that compete with business class of airlines. It has designed a new AC first class coach, an “interiors on demand” concept, which will be proposed to the Railway Board soon, TOI has reported. This type of coaches will make trains look luxurious and opulent as well as more confortable with their new-age technology while also providing amenities on demand on select routes. Just what the airlines are known for.

With such additions, the Indian Railways is raising the bar for train travel as well as throwing a challenge to low-cost airlines, especially on shorter routes. So far, India has rolled out 34 Vande Bharat trains and plans to roll out 75 more by March next year and 500 in the next three years to further improve the railways network, particularly for short-distance travel.

First Class AC versus airline business class

The latest addition being planned to the railways will put trains in the airline category. The design of the new AC First Class coach, a compact cubicle for two people, promises an experience of travel in business class of an airline. One can experience airline business class while travelling in a train..

Typically, the aisle space is usually on one side of an Indian Railways first AC coach, and the berths on the other. With the latest design, the aisle area has been shifted to the centre by RCF to accommodaite compact coupes that have two beds on either side of the coach and panoramic windows on both the upper and lower berths. As opposed to 24, the new AC first coach can hold 30 berths.

As part of this concept, two people can sit in the AC 1st coupe/cubicle in the daytime, while at night, the seats can be converted to berths. One person can sleep on the lower berth and the other person on the upper berth. The concept photos released by RCF show a chic berth complete with a laptop table, bottle holders, and an entertainment screen for the upper berth, offering an extravagant affair and taking railway travel to a new level. Cabins accommodating two persons are typically in great demand. RCF Kapurthala GM Arun Kumar Jain told TOI that they believe this coach's design and subsequent advancement should be well-liked.

Additionally, the railways also has Vande Bharat sleeper trains in the pipeline. These trains promise amenities such as WiFi, automatic doors, sensor-based water taps and roller blinds, among other facilities, all at a cheaper fare.

Even for lower-class train travel such as AC II, the railways has designed coaches which will compete with interiors of planes. A mock-up model of sleeper version of Vande Bharat train, prepared based on the concept presented by Integral Coach Factory (ICF) will be ready by mid-October. An ICF official told TOI that the mock-up is being attempted before starting manufacture of prototype, which will have 11 AC III tier coaches and four AC II tier coaches. These AC II tier coaches will have superior aesthetics, smooth panels, roof-embedded lights, better six-step ladder to climb to upper berths, and wide windows. The design, which appears world class, also avoids sharp edges.

Stations that vie with airports?

People prefer to fly as airports offer many amenities and luxuries. They provide plenty of options to pass the time while you're waiting, such as lounges. These are available to travellers even at discounted rates regardless of the airline they are taking. These lounges boast of comfortable seating, complimentary refreshments, a wide assortment of alcoholic beverages, Wi-Fi, and, in certain locations, even showers.

The railways is planning to compete with airlines on this count too, by giving its stations a complete makeover. In August this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid foundation stone for redevelopment of 508 stations across the country at a cost of more than Rs 24,470 crore.

As part of the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, stations will be prioritized on the basis of tourism and pilgrimage where work will be done to ease passenger movement. The government aims to transform these railway stations into city centers where business activity can also take place seamlessly.

To elevate user experience, the stations will also provide amenities like lounges, recreational facilities, waiting areas, restaurants, ATMs, charging points, medical facilities and help booths, among others. The scheme also promises well-lit areas and comfortable movement via escalators, elevators and travelators.

A few railway stations already provide passengers with a range of amenities which make for a delightful experience. Sir M Visvesvaraya Railway Terminal in Bengaluru has a fully air-conditioned entrance lobby, the first one in India. Even in Delhi, travellers can access an executive lounge with lots of amenities, which is located on Platform No.1 of the New Delhi Railway station.

The pricing edge

Vande Bharat trains have fares competitive with low-cost airlines. Presently, with soaring airfares amid festive season, trains, especially Vande Bharat, have become a more viable option for many passengers. These trains have recorded an occupancy of 90 per cent, despite a slight uptick in fares as compared to other express trains.

If you’re travelling to Delhi from Bhopal, Vande Bharat chair car and executive class tickets are priced at Rs 1,735 and Rs 3,185, respectively. As for other trains, a 3 AC ticket price ranges from Rs 750 to Rs 1,080. An economy flight ticket on this route starts at nearly Rs 4,300.

If one is travelling to Ahmedabad from Mumbai a distance of 525 kilometers, opting for a Vande Bharat would mean a journey of 5 hours and 25 minutes and purchasing a ticket of Rs 1,200 for chair car and Rs 2,295 for executive. As one of the preferred options, this train to the Gujarat city has a waitlist for the next few days. By air, the travel time is of 1 hour and 10 minutes on this route exclusive of the time spent on pre- and post-travel security checks and baggage collection. The cheapest flight costs around Rs 2,160 without taxes.

Trains are getting wings

If time spent on travel matters, trains on short routes beat planes. With most airports situated on the outskirts of cities, the inclusive travel time on air travel is far more than train travel. Train travel spares one checking-in of baggage, mandatory security check, long queues for getting through the gates and finally boarding, and then, on reaching the destination, collection of luggage.

Train travel involves a quick drive up to the station, and passengers hardly have to queue up, let alone go through so many boarding and de-borading processes.

Whle this difference between train and air travel has always existed, what tilts the balance in favour of trains on shorter routes are the higher speed of Vande Bharat and the new luxuries and amenities which have hitherto been associated with air travel such as luxury coaches and lounges at railway stations.

Airlines are bringing down fares

Air fares are going down after the introduction of Vande Bharat trains on some routes, according to a data study conducted by the railways. Estimates suggest that airfares have fallen by 20-30% from April-2023 levels, on Chennai- Bengaluru, Thiruvananathapuram-Kasargod, Mumbai-Pune, Jamnagar- Ahmedabad and Delhi-Jaipur routes, ET has reported. This is after the launch of Vande Bharat trains in the last few months.

"Around 10-20% of customer base of airlines has been converted to Vande Bharat passengers. The has resulted in significantly lower airfares on these routes as compared to those before the introduction of new trains on these sections," a senior Railway Ministry official has told ET.

The new trains are also attracting customer segments which are more likely to be attracted to air travel. Vande Bharat trains are preferred by large sections of youth according to the study. Around 56% passengers are youngsters and those from the working class in Vande Bharat trains. "This has become the highest among all age groups who travel in Vande Bharat," a note on the data findings said.

However, the new trains, howsoever cheap, fast and luxurious, will find it hard to lure away committed airline customers. The experience of train travel will always remain different from the experience of flying.