Railway Minister flags off Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Express
The new overnight service connects Bengaluru with Mumbai and will operate six days a week across three states.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Express from Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT) in Bengaluru on Sunday, November 1. According to The Hindu, the new overnight service connects SMVT Bengaluru with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in Mumbai, passing through Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
The service will operate six days a week, except Mondays from Bengaluru and Tuesdays from Mumbai. The train will pass through stations including Anantapur and Guntakal in Andhra Pradesh; Raichur, Yadgir, Wadi, and Kalaburagi in Karnataka; and Solapur, Pune, and Kalyan in Maharashtra.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the train would be a game changer for connectivity between the two cities and would benefit youngsters, IT professionals, and students. Vaishnaw stated the train would connect the technological capital, Bengaluru, with the financial capital, Mumbai.
The train features a 16-coach rake with 11 three-tier, four two-tier, and one first AC coach. It has a passenger capacity of 823. The service is expected to provide a faster travel option compared to current trains that take between 22 and 24 hours.
Vaishnaw also announced plans for a Vande Bharat Sleeper service from Bengaluru towards the Hubballi region, extending to Pune and Mumbai. He added that Vande Bharat services between Bengaluru and Mangaluru are expected to commence within a few weeks, subject to electrification and testing.