Mysuru: Passengers of Chennai-Mysuru Shatabdi Express will get the opportunity to travel by the features-rich ‘Anubhuti’ coach from today.

South Western Railway (SWR) announced yesterday that an ‘Anubhuti’ coach will be introduced in Train No 12007/12008 Chennai Central-Mysuru-Chennai Central Shatabdi Express as a ‘Pongal gift’ for passengers, which has all-new aircraft-like features but unlike the aircraft has ample leg space.

The coach has improved interiors, ergonomically designed seats and improved modular toilets with hands-free taps. Besides overhead reading lights for every seat and diffused LED lighting, the coach is also equipped with GPS-based passenger system. It has a ‘special’ exterior painting with anti-graffiti coating, a release said. The fare for travel by ‘Anubhuti’ is fixed at 1.2 times of the Executive Class fare of Shatabdi trains.

Booking: For booking accommodation in Anubhuti, passengers will have to use the Number 22007 (from Chennai to Mysuru) and 22008 (from Mysuru to Chennai) instead of 12007 and 12008. “This is applicable only for passengers booking Anubhuti coach,” the release added.

The LHB-type AC-First class chair car has a seating capacity of 56 passengers. It has been manufactured at an approximate cost of Rs. 3 crore in Chennai, said a source in SWR.

“There is only one coach that is being introduced. Today 45 seats had already been booked from Mysuru to Chennai and 11 seats were available on its first run,” he said.

Anubhuti fares: The fare from Mysuru to Chennai is Rs.2,160 (inclusive of all taxes like surcharge and GST) and from Mysuru to Bengaluru it is Rs.895. However, the fare from Chennai to Mysuru is Rs. 2,135 and from Bengaluru to Mysuru it is Rs.960 (The extra fare is because of the lunch they provide from Bengaluru to Mysuru).