Railways can try extending this train to Ratnagiri by having an early departure from MAQ. Few additional Halts can be added like MRDW, GOK, THVM, SWV, KUDL and KKW.
In this way, a major portion on Konkan Coast is getting covered and it could serve more tourists enroute.
I have mentioned this is another blog before - I recently travelled from Gokarna to Goa by 06602 MAQ-MAO Pass. Gokarna is a major tourist Hotspot attracting Gen Z/Millenials from across the country and even Foreign tourists. I witnessed a lot of passengers including foreign...
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tourists taking this passenger service from GOK to madgaon since there are no direct public transport options available and hiring a cab can be very expensive.
Railways should tap on to this demand with Vande Bharat halt so as to provide a premium service at a cheaper rate (as compared to private cabs). Further, with extension to RN & with Halts at Thivim and stations in Sindhudurg district, tourists going to their destinations in North Goa and Sindhudurg can also use this service which will further increase the occupancy.
Occupancy rates can surely benefit as many tourists are opting for tour plans like - Goa-Gokarna, Coastal Karnataka, Sindhudurg-Goa these days and a comfortable intercity travel option is the need of the hour

This train should be given a halt at Gokarna Road station.
Gokarna is a tourist hub and attracts a lot of tourits including foreign tourists as well
Recently when I travelled from Gokarna Road to Madgaon by 06602 MAQ-MAO Pass/Exp, I witnessed a lot of tourists (majority of them were Gen Z & Millenials) and a sizeable number of foreign tourists boarding this train to Goa.
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can tap on to this demand by creating a feasible travel option for those who have Gokarna-Goa trip plans.
Currently public transport options between the two travel hubs are quite limited. Only one direct bus in the morning and very few trains with most of them leaving GOK/reaching Goa at odd times.
VB by default has good arrival time at MAO which coinsides with the checkin time of hotels in Goa and check out time of those in Gokarna.

Since ample TAT is available, IR should also expore extending this train to Thivim so that North Goa tourists will also benefit.
Further, facilities at GOK station needs improvement. Platform height needs to be increased since bording a train is very difficult due to low platform height. Also platform no. 2 which is not an actual platform currently, should be constructed.