Vande Bharat sleeper trains to offer 16-hour overnight ride in this route; check details

The South Western Railway (SWR) has commissioned two Vande Bharat sleeper trainsets that will operate on the Bengaluru-Mumbai route, railway officials said.

The two 16-coach rakes were received by the Karnataka-headquartered railway zone after being manufactured by BEML in Bengaluru under a programme led by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai. The trainsets underwent extensive testing and inspections before being commissioned.

Ashutosh Kumar Singh, Divisional Railway Manager, Bengaluru, confirmed the development to Deccan Herald. “We’re getting ready for the launch and the timetable will be notified soon,” he said.

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Route and launch plans under review

A trial run will be conducted shortly on the approved route to assess the journey time and facilitate speed trials by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO).

Parikshit Mohanpuria, Additional Divisional Railway Manager (Operations), Bengaluru, said railway authorities were considering two possible starting points in Bengaluru—KSR Bengaluru and Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT) Bengaluru.

“Both options are being weighed,” Mohanpuria said. He added that primary rake maintenance would be carried out at either KSR Bengaluru or SMVT Bengaluru.

The train is expected to run overnight from both Bengaluru and Mumbai, covering the distance in around 16 hours. “The fare will be considerably lower than plane tickets. We’re confident that the service will be a hit,” Singh said.

Fares and coach configuration

The train will have 11 3AC coaches, four 2AC coaches and one 1AC coach. The 3AC fare is expected to be around Rs 3,000, including onboard meals.

The service will run through the Kalyana Karnataka region, meeting a long-standing demand for a faster rail connection between Bengaluru and Mumbai. Existing dedicated services, including the Udyan Express and SMVT Bengaluru-LTT Mumbai Express, take nearly 24 hours.

The proposed route will cover Raichur, Yadgir and Kalaburagi. It spans 1,137 km, is fully electrified and doubled, with most sections supporting speeds of up to 130 km/h.

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Hubballi route not considered

Public representatives and railway activists had earlier demanded that the Vande Bharat sleeper train be operated via Hubballi to better serve Karnataka’s hinterland. However, the proposal was not considered because the route would cover a longer distance of 1,216 km and include single-track sections and stretches with speed restrictions.

The selected Kalyana Karnataka route, which covers 1,137 km, is fully electrified and doubled, while most sections support speeds of up to 130 km/h. The new service is therefore expected to provide a faster and more comfortable rail link between Bengaluru and Mumbai, with the launch date and final timetable likely to be announced soon.