Bengaluru: On November 1, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw launched the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express between Bengaluru and Mumbai. He flagged off the train from Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT) in Bengaluru to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in Mumbai. Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and H.D. Kumaraswamy, along with Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna, were present at the event. The new service will improve overnight rail connectivity between Bengaluru and Mumbai.
Train number 27652 will depart from Bengaluru at 7:45 PM and arrive in Mumbai at 11:55 AM the following day, completing the journey in approximately 16 hours and 10 minutes. The return train, numbered 27651, will depart from Mumbai at 8:10 PM and reach Bengaluru at 12:00 PM the next day.
Both trains will operate six days a week. Services will not be available from Bengaluru on Mondays and from Mumbai on Tuesdays. Regular operations will begin from Mumbai on November 2 and from Bengaluru on November 3.
Route Details and Passenger Connectivity
This train will stop at Anantapur, Guntakal, Raichur, Yadgir, Kalaburagi, Solapur, Pune, and Kalyan. It will improve overnight connectivity between Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra, which will particularly benefit passengers from North Karnataka. Developed by BEML using technology from the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), this sleeper train will offer professionals, business travelers, students, and tourists an additional option for overnight travel.
Karnataka Sees Rs 52,000 Crore Push in Railway Infrastructure
Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna stated that railway infrastructure projects worth approximately ₹52,000 crore are underway in Karnataka, which include the modernization of stations and the construction of railway overbridges and underbridges. Pralhad Joshi highlighted the improvements made in railway safety. He noted that the number of accidents has decreased from 135 to 16, and the Kavach train protection system has been expanded. He reiterated the government’s goal of achieving zero railway accidents.
The new service further expands India’s Vande Bharat Sleeper network, following the introduction of services on the Howrah-Guwahati and Varanasi-New Delhi routes. It is expected to improve passenger connectivity across Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra while supporting regional economic activity.
More Vande Bharat Services Planned
Vaishnaw announced plans to introduce another Vande Bharat sleeper service from Bengaluru towards the Hubballi region, which will enhance connectivity towards Pune and Mumbai. He further announced that the Bengaluru-Mangaluru Vande Bharat service is expected to commence in the coming weeks, subject to the completion of electrification work and successful trials.
The minister also mentioned the proposed high-speed connectivity, noting that the journey between Bengaluru and Chennai could take approximately 73 minutes, while the connectivity between Bengaluru and Hyderabad take approximately two hours and 10 minutes.
(PIB)
