Bengaluru-Goa Vande Bharat to impact 13 trains on coastal route

BENGALURU: A faster, more comfortable ride on Vande Bharat Express from Bengaluru to Goa is on the cards, but its introduction may lead to rescheduling of 13 existing trains and disrupting passenger-friendly arrival and departure timings.Last Saturday, the railway ministry notified the introduction of Vande Bharat service between Yeshwantpur and Madgaon, assigning numbers 26655 and 26656. The Vande Bharat will operate six days a week from Yeshwantpur, departing at 7.35am, except on Wednesdays.A railway official said to facilitate 1,100 passengers on Vande Bharat, around 15,000 regular travellers will be affected. A senior South Western Railway official said the new service would be accorded priority through the ghat section.The train will traverse the recently electrified ghat section between Sakleshpur and Subrahmanya Road, a 55km stretch where all trains are restricted to a maximum speed of 30kmph because of the challenging terrain and safety concerns.Among the biggest casualties would be train No. 16516 Karwar-Yeshwantpur Express. The train, which currently reaches Bengaluru at 8.50pm, will arrive at 10.15pm under the revised schedule.An even bigger blow awaits passengers travelling on train No. 16576 Mangaluru Junction-Yeshwantpur Gomteshwara Express. A popular option for passengers travelling from Mangaluru to Bengaluru, the train currently reaches Yeshwantpur at 4.30pm. Under the revised schedule, it will leave Mangaluru at 11.40am and reach Bengaluru at 10.15pm.The change also takes away much of the convenience of its existing schedule for passengers planning to reach Bengaluru by late afternoon. The train, which has a vistadome coach offering panoramic views of the Western Ghats, will continue to provide the scenic experience, but at a considerably different time of day.In another notable change, train No. 22679 Yeshwantpur-Hassan Superfast Express will see its average speed fall below 55kmph in both directions. Several other trains operating along the corridor will face en-route regulation of between 10 and 25 minutes.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Bengaluru | Silver Rate in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru | Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Petrol Price in Bengaluru | Diesel Price in Bengaluru | CNG Price in Bengaluru | LPG Price in BengaluruStay updated with the latest Bengaluru news. Download the TOI App.