Wait’s over! Vande Bharat sleeper train to begin Bengaluru-Mumbai service tomorrow

BENGALURU: Ending a long wait, Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Sunday flagged off the SMVT Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat sleeper express. It is South India’s first sleeper variant of Vande Bharat and the third such service in the country.For years, passengers travelling between India’s tech and financial capitals had only the Udyan Express as a direct daily train option. The new service is expected to bridge this connectivity gap, covering the distance in around 16 hours. It will be the only superfast train between the cities to average more than 55 kmph.The train will depart Bengaluru at 7.45pm six days a week, except Mondays, and reach Mumbai at 11.55am the next day. It will have eight stops: Anantapur, Guntakal, Raichur, Yadgir, Kalaburagi, Solapur, Pune and Kalyan.Ticket fares from Bengaluru are Rs 4,450 for AC first class, Rs 3,630 for AC 2-tier and Rs 2,810 for AC 3-tier. The 16-coach train has a total capacity of 823 berths..The train undertook a special inaugural run Sunday morning, carrying rail enthusiasts, social media influencers and others. Commercial services will begin Tuesday, with tickets already sold out.Gopal Khandre, a rail enthusiast who travelled from Mumbai for the inaugural journey, said the sub-16-hour connectivity would address a longstanding gap and expressed hope for more such services.Another passenger, Chinmay Kole, said the train’s faster schedule and convenient timings could also benefit passengers travelling between Pune and Bengaluru.India eyeing exports: MinisterAddressing the media ahead of the flag-off, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw called the launch a proud moment for Karnataka on its foundation day. He said the train had been designed with improvements for both loco pilots and passengers, including a separate toilet in the driver’s cabin and redesigned stairs to access middle and upper berths.Upgrades to the propulsion system and coach design would also minimise jerks during travel, he said.Vaishnaw added that India plans to export complete Vande Bharat trains in the next 3-4 years, having already begun exporting propulsion systems to Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy and the US. A future Vande Bharat sleeper service from Bengaluru will connect northern Karnataka via Hubballi to Pune and Mumbai, he announced.Pune-B’luru high-speed railBangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya demanded a high-speed rail corridor between Bengaluru and Pune.Vaishnaw, in his address, replied that Bengaluru is a huge city and everybody has the same demand. “In the coming time, another 3,000 km of bullet train service will be announced and many more corridors like Bengaluru-Pune which covers the entire Karnataka will also be announced,” he said.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.