Vande Bharat trial runs begin August 11 on Mangaluru–Bengaluru Ghat: 57 tunnels, 226 bridges — all details
RDSO is set to conduct Vande Bharat Express trial runs on the challenging Sakleshpur–Subrahmanya Road ghat section from August 11. Here's everything you need to know about this scenic and technically demanding route.
- Aug 10, 2026,
- Updated Aug 10, 2026 5:40 PM IST
- 1/7
Trial runs of the Vande Bharat Express on the challenging Sakleshpur–Subrahmanya Road ghat section of the Mangaluru–Hassan–Bengaluru route are scheduled from August 11 to 20, 2026, conducted by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO).
- 2/7
The 55-km Sakleshpur–Subrahmanya Road ghat stretch is one of India's most technically demanding railway sections, featuring 57 tunnels, 226 bridges, and 108 sharp curves through the Western Ghats. Conventional trains require additional banker locomotives to navigate the steep gradients on this route.
- 3/7
A specially built 20-coach Vande Bharat rake manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, and fitted with an Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system has been assigned to the South Western Railway zone. The AEB system automatically applies brakes if the train exceeds 30 kmph on the ghat section.
- 4/7
The trial rake is currently stationed at Pandavapura halt in Mandya district. Trial runs will be supervised by the Mysuru Division of South Western Railway, with RDSO teams from mechanical, electrical, operations, and security departments participating in the assessment.
- 5/7
The Mangaluru–Bengaluru route via Hassan was fully electrified in December 2025, paving the way for the Vande Bharat service. The electrification of the challenging ghat section alone took nearly two years to complete due to the complex terrain.
- 6/7
Union Minister of State for Railways V Somanna had earlier announced the Vande Bharat service on this route would begin by June 2026. The launch was delayed due to the non-availability of a rake equipped with the mandatory AEB system required for safe ghat operations.
- 7/7
The August 11 trial runs are only the first step. Once testing concludes, RDSO will compile results, which will be reviewed by the Railway Board and the Commissioner of Railway Safety before commercial operations can be authorised. Any extension toward Madgaon will require a separate Railway Board decision.