Bengaluru-Mangaluru Vande Bharat trial run on ghat section likely by end of June

Bengaluru-Mangaluru Vande Bharat trial run on ghat section likely by end of June

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jun 19, 2026: Another significant step has been taken towards realizing the dream of a high-speed rail connection between Karnataka’s coastal region and the state capital, Bengaluru.

A trial run of the Vande Bharat Express on the challenging 55-km ghat section between Sakleshpur and Subrahmanya Road is likely to be conducted in the last week of June.

The trial will be carried out by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) under the Ministry of Railways. As per directions from the Commissioner of Railway Safety, the maximum speed of trains on this ghat section of the Hassan–Mangaluru railway line has been restricted to 30 kmph. Consequently, the Vande Bharat train must be equipped with a special Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system before operating on the route.

The AEB system automatically reduces the train’s speed if it exceeds the prescribed limit. The technology is currently being installed on Vande Bharat coaches at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, and the specially equipped rake is expected to arrive in Karnataka next week.

Providing details, Mudit Mittal, Divisional Railway Manager of the Mysuru Division of South Western Railway, said that trial runs involving ICF and LHB coaches have already been successfully completed on the ghat section. "The trial run of the Vande Bharat train is the only remaining step. A special rake fitted with the AEB system is being readied for the purpose," he said.

The tests, which began in the second week of June, involved five trips over five days, and all technical parameters were successfully met.

If the upcoming trial is successful and RDSO grants approval to the Railway Ministry, the biggest technical hurdle preventing the operation of Vande Bharat services between Bengaluru and Mangaluru will be cleared. The service is expected to provide passengers in Coastal Karnataka with a faster and more comfortable travel option to the state capital.

Electrification of the route was completed in December 2025. RITES successfully executed the electrification of the railway line, including the ghat section between Sakleshpur and Subrahmanya Road. Following the successful completion of the trial run, the much-awaited Vande Bharat service to Coastal Karnataka is expected to become a reality soon.