Chennai – Narsapur Vande Bharat Express (20677 / 20678)

Timetable last checked 12 November 2026 (data from 11 November 2026). Fares checked 12 November 2026.

Train summary

Narsapur, Narasapur or Narasapuram? All three names refer to the same town. Indian Railways spells the station Narasapur (NS), and that is the name to search on IRCTC.

Boarding in Chennai: the train starts at MGR Chennai Central, the main long-distance terminal. There is no other stop inside Chennai; the first halt is Renigunta Jn, 141 km out.

What kind of train this is

The Chennai to Narsapur Vande Bharat Express is a daytime Chair Car train with reclining seats and no berths. CC has 3+2 seating and EC has wider 2+2 seats. See CC vs EC and the seat guide for layouts and window seats.

The train began as the Vijayawada–Chennai Vande Bharat, one of nine Vande Bharat trains Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off by video conference on 24 September 2023. It was planned to run via Renigunta to give the Tirupati pilgrimage centre a Vande Bharat link. Source: Business Today

On 15 December 2025 the same trains, 20677/20678, were extended beyond Vijayawada to Narasapur, with new halts at Gudivada Jn and Bhimavaram Town. Union Minister of State B. Srinivasa Varma flagged off the extended service at Narasapur station. Source: The Week (PTI) That is why many older articles, and some booking apps, still call it the Chennai–Vijayawada Vande Bharat.

20677 MGR Chennai Central to Narasapur timetable

20678 Narasapur to MGR Chennai Central timetable

All stops are on the same day. For live running status, use NTES with train number 20677 or 20678.

Does it stop at Gudur? Not in the timetable we checked. Some reports at the time of the extension listed Gudur among the halts, Source: Deccan Chronicle but the current schedule goes from Renigunta Jn straight to Nellore. If you need Gudur, check IRCTC for your date before booking.

Does it stop at Guntur? No. Between Ongole and Vijayawada its only stop is Tenali Jn. For Guntur, look at other trains on IRCTC, or the Secunderabad – Tirupati Vande Bharat, which does stop at Guntur Jn.

Chennai Narsapur Vande Bharat boarding guide: every stop

Every stop below is a boarding and alighting point, and IRCTC sells tickets between any two of them. Most halts last one or two minutes, so be on the platform before the train arrives. Times are scheduled; check live running on NTES on the day.

• Renigunta Jn (RU). 20677 arrives at 07:05 and leaves at 07:10, 1 h 35 min and 141 km after Chennai Central, with 7 h and 514 km still to go to Narasapur. 20678 calls here at 21:50. This is the stop for Tirupati: the train does not go to Tirupati station itself. For a train that ends at Tirupati, see the Secunderabad – Tirupati Vande Bharat.
• Nellore (NLR). 20677 arrives at 08:41 and leaves at 08:42, 3 h 11 min and 263 km out of Chennai, with 5 h 28 min to go. 20678 calls here at 19:39.
• Ongole (OGL). 20677 arrives at 09:43 and leaves at 09:45, 4 h 13 min and 379 km out, with 4 h 25 min to go. 20678 calls here at 18:29.
• Tenali Jn (TEL). 20677 arrives at 11:08 and leaves at 11:10, 5 h 38 min and 486 km out, with 3 h to go. 20678 calls here at 17:19.
• Vijayawada Jn (BZA). 20677 arrives at 11:40 and leaves at 11:45, 6 h 10 min and 517 km out, with 2 h 25 min and 138 km still to go. 20678 calls here at 16:50 and leaves at 16:55. Its five-minute halt, like Renigunta’s, is the longest on the route.
• Gudivada Jn (GDV). 20677 arrives at 12:29 and leaves at 12:30, 6 h 59 min and 561 km out, with 1 h 40 min to go. 20678 calls here at 16:04.
• Bhimavaram Town (BVRT). 20677 arrives at 13:14 and leaves at 13:15, 7 h 44 min and 624 km out, with 55 min and 31 km to go. 20678 calls here at 15:19, only 29 minutes after leaving Narasapur.

To board at an intermediate station, search from that station on IRCTC, or change the boarding point of an existing e-ticket once, up to the final chart. See the ticket change guide.

Vande Bharat Chennai to Vijayawada

Vijayawada Jn is the busiest stop on the route and the end point of the original service, so many passengers use this Vande Bharat train only as far as Vijayawada. 20677 gets you from Chennai Central to Vijayawada in 6 h 10 min, leaving 05:30 and arriving 11:40, over 517 km. In the other direction, 20678 leaves Vijayawada at 16:55 and reaches Chennai Central at 23:45, 6 h 50 min for 516 km. It is the only Vande Bharat Express between Chennai and Vijayawada. Search IRCTC for MAS to BZA (or BZA to MAS) to see this pair’s fare and availability; it is lower than the full Narasapur fare below.

Can you go and return the same day by Vande Bharat?

Not between the two ends. 20677 reaches Narasapur at 14:10 and 20678 leaves at 14:50, giving only 40 minutes. From Narasapur, the train reaches Chennai at 23:45 and the next 20677 leaves Chennai at 05:30, so there is no Chennai day trip from the Andhra end either.

Day trips from Chennai to the intermediate stops do work, because the morning train runs north and the afternoon train runs south:

• Vijayawada: arrive 11:40 on 20677; 20678 is due at 16:50 and leaves at 16:55. That gives 5 h 10 min in Vijayawada before you need to be back on the platform.
• Nellore: arrive 08:41, leave 19:39, about 11 hours in Nellore.
• Renigunta (for Tirupati): arrive 07:05, leave 21:50, about 14 h 45 min on the ground, enough for a planned darshan trip, with a margin for queues and the road journey between Renigunta and Tirumala.

Neither train runs on Tuesday, so pick another day. Leave a buffer in case 20678 runs late. The same-day return planner checks any pair of stations, and the running days checker confirms a date.

Chennai to Narsapur Vande Bharat ticket price

Fares are for one adult, General quota, with the meal, checked 12 November 2026. They are IRCTC fares as recorded by erail.in, and we kept a figure only where it agreed with erail’s own calculation from the official fare rules, so confirm on IRCTC before you pay. We could not confirm fares for shorter pairs such as Chennai to Vijayawada, Chennai to Renigunta or Vijayawada to Narasapur; check those on IRCTC. They are lower than the full-route fare, because the base fare is set by distance.

The morning train from Chennai costs ₹110 more in CC and ₹140 more in EC than the afternoon train back, over the same 655 km. The base fare is the same for both, so the gap most likely comes from the catering charge, which IRCTC shows in the fare breakdown when you book. Choosing No Food lowers the price by the meal charge on either train. See the food guide for what is served.

The fare is built from a base fare (1.4 times Shatabdi in CC and 1.3 times in EC), reservation and superfast charges, GST and the optional meal. Source: PIB There is no dynamic fare, so the price does not rise as seats fill up. Source: PIB, February 2026 See how Vande Bharat ticket prices work or estimate a station pair with the fare calculator.

CC or EC? On 20677, EC costs ₹1,425 more than CC for the full trip. For almost nine hours in a seat, the wider EC seat and extra legroom matter more than on a short run, so EC is worth a look if CC is waitlisted or if you are travelling end to end.

Booking the Chennai Narsapur Vande Bharat train

Booking for 20677 and 20678 opens on IRCTC 60 days before the journey, at 08:00 IST, not counting the journey day. For a journey on Monday 11 January 2027, booking opens on Thursday 12 November 2026 at 08:00. Do not pick a Tuesday: the train does not run, and IRCTC will not show it. Find the opening date for your trip with the booking date calculator.

If CC is full, look at EC before taking a waiting-list ticket. A ticket still waitlisted when the chart is made is cancelled and refunded automatically, less ₹60 clerkage plus GST (₹63) per passenger.

Tatkal opens at 10:00 IST the day before the train leaves its first station: the day before at Chennai Central for 20677, and the day before at Narasapur for 20678. A confirmed Tatkal ticket gets no refund if you cancel. See the Tatkal guide.

The booking guide covers IRCTC step by step, including quotas, waiting lists and how to choose a seat.

Refund if you cancel a Chennai Narsapur Vande Bharat ticket

The refund bands are counted from the train’s scheduled departure at its first station, so a passenger boarding 20678 at Vijayawada still works from the 14:50 departure from Narasapur. For a confirmed ticket, per passenger, with 5% GST on the charge, using the 72, 24 and 8-hour bands the Ministry of Railways announced in March 2026:

• 20677 in CC (₹1,760): cancel more than 72 hours before and you get back about ₹1,571; 72 to 24 hours before, about ₹1,298; 24 to 8 hours before, about ₹836; less than 8 hours before, nothing.
• 20677 in EC (₹3,185): more than 72 hours before, about ₹2,933; 72 to 24 hours, about ₹2,349; 24 to 8 hours, about ₹1,513; less than 8 hours, nothing.
• 20678 in CC (₹1,650): more than 72 hours before, about ₹1,461; 72 to 24 hours, about ₹1,217; 24 to 8 hours, about ₹784; less than 8 hours, nothing.
• 20678 in EC (₹3,045): more than 72 hours before, about ₹2,793; 72 to 24 hours, about ₹2,246; 24 to 8 hours, about ₹1,446; less than 8 hours, nothing.

IRCTC’s published refund rules still show the older 48, 12 and 4-hour cut-offs, so the IRCTC cancellation screen is final. The Vande Bharat cancellation charges guide explains both sets of bands, and the refund calculator and cancellation deadline tool give your own figure and clock times.

When is the chart prepared for the Chennai Narsapur Vande Bharat?

• 20677 leaves Chennai Central at 05:30, so its first chart is prepared by 20:00 the evening before.
• 20678 leaves Narasapur at 14:50, so its first chart is prepared by 04:50 on the day of travel (10 hours before departure).

After the first chart, waiting-list tickets are settled and your coach and seat number appear on the PNR. The chart preparation time tool works it out for any date.

Chennai Narsapur Vande Bharat FAQs

What is the timing of the Chennai to Narsapur Vande Bharat? Train 20677 leaves MGR Chennai Central at 05:30 and reaches Narasapur at 14:10, a journey of 8 h 40 min.

What is the timing of the Narsapur to Chennai Vande Bharat? Train 20678 leaves Narasapur at 14:50 and reaches MGR Chennai Central at 23:45, a journey of 8 h 55 min.

On which day does the Chennai Narsapur Vande Bharat not run? Tuesday, in both directions.

What is the Chennai to Narsapur Vande Bharat ticket price? ₹1,760 in CC and ₹3,185 in EC with the meal on 20677. The return 20678 is ₹1,650 in CC and ₹3,045 in EC (checked 12 November 2026; confirm on IRCTC).

What are the stops of the Chennai Narsapur Vande Bharat? Seven intermediate stops: Renigunta Jn (RU), Nellore (NLR), Ongole (OGL), Tenali Jn (TEL), Vijayawada Jn (BZA), Gudivada Jn (GDV) and Bhimavaram Town (BVRT), in reverse order on 20678.

What is the Vande Bharat timing from Chennai to Vijayawada? 20677 leaves Chennai Central at 05:30 and reaches Vijayawada Jn at 11:40. Going back, 20678 leaves Vijayawada at 16:55 and reaches Chennai at 23:45.

Is the Chennai–Vijayawada Vande Bharat the same train? Yes. The Chennai–Vijayawada Vande Bharat, 20677/20678, was extended to Narasapur in December 2025 and kept its train numbers.

Does the Chennai Narsapur Vande Bharat go to Tirupati? No. It stops at Renigunta Jn at 07:05 towards Narasapur and 21:50 towards Chennai. Renigunta is the junction near Tirupati, not Tirupati station.

Does the Chennai Narsapur Vande Bharat stop at Bhimavaram? Yes, at Bhimavaram Town (BVRT): 13:14 towards Narasapur and 15:19 towards Chennai.

Can I go from Chennai to Vijayawada and back in one day by Vande Bharat? Yes, on any day except Tuesday. 20677 reaches Vijayawada at 11:40 and 20678 arrives back at 16:50 (leaving at 16:55), giving 5 h 10 min in the city.

When does booking open for the Chennai Narsapur Vande Bharat Express? 60 days before the journey at 08:00 IST on IRCTC. For Monday 11 January 2027, it opens on Thursday 12 November 2026.

When is the chart prepared for 20677 and 20678? For 20677, which leaves at 05:30, by 20:00 the evening before. For 20678, which leaves at 14:50, by 04:50 on the day of travel.

When was the Chennai Narsapur Vande Bharat launched? The Chennai–Vijayawada service was flagged off on 24 September 2023, and its extension to Narasapur was flagged off on 15 December 2025.

Related routes

• All Vande Bharat trains in Andhra Pradesh
• Secunderabad – Tirupati Vande Bharat
• Vande Bharat trains in Tamil Nadu
• Full Vande Bharat route list

Sources

Timetable, stops and running days: erail 20677, erail 20678, cross-checked with ConfirmTkt 20677 and ConfirmTkt 20678, 11 November 2026. Fares: erail.in’s IRCTC fare data, cross-checked against its fare calculation, 12 November 2026. Launch: Business Today. Extension to Narasapur: The Week (PTI), Deccan Chronicle. Fare rules: PIB, PIB, February 2026. Always confirm on IRCTC or NTES before travel. Report a correction.