Vande Bharat Between Bengaluru–Mangaluru Soon: Union Railway Minister

Vande Bharat Between Bengaluru–Mangaluru Soon: Union Railway Minister

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Apr 26, 2026: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday announced that a Vande Bharat (seater) train connecting Bengaluru and Mangaluru will be launched soon, with technical hurdles now resolved.

He said railway tracks between Hassan and Mangaluru have been electrified, and testing and trials are currently underway. For enhanced safety on steep coastal gradients, Automated Emergency Braking (AEB) systems have also been integrated.

Vaishnaw further announced two new Bengaluru–Mumbai services to be introduced in the coming months, including a Vande Bharat sleeper train and a superfast service with LHB coaches via Hubballi. “Within the next few months, we will have a Vande Bharat between Bengaluru and Mangaluru and towards Madgaon,” he said.

During his visit to BEML’s Thippasandra campus in Bengaluru, the minister inaugurated a specialised facility for manufacturing high-speed B-28 trainsets, also referred to as Bharat-made bullet trains. He described high-speed rail technology as highly complex and noted that its indigenous development marks a significant milestone in engineering.

Highlighting future prospects, Vaishnaw said reduced travel times could transform connectivity between major cities, citing that travel between Chennai and Bengaluru could drop to 73 minutes.

According to railway sources, the proposed KSR Bengaluru–CSMT Mumbai Vande Bharat sleeper service will operate via Guntakal and Kalaburagi, with an estimated travel time of around 16 hours. Trade activist Sajjan Raj Mehta suggested the journey could be reduced to about 15 hours, with 3AC fares expected to be significantly lower than air travel.

The existing SMVT Bengaluru–LTT Mumbai service (16553/16554), which currently covers 1,209 km in about 24 hours, is set to be upgraded to a superfast train, reducing overall travel time while retaining the same route, sources in the South Western Railway (SWR) said.

Meanwhile, the Bengaluru–Mangaluru Vande Bharat service is expected to be an extension of the existing Mangaluru–Madgaon route (20645/20646). Plans are in place to operate the train from both Bengaluru and Madgaon in the morning using separate rakes. The travel time is likely to be at least an hour shorter than the current fastest service on the route.