Bengaluru-Mangaluru Vande Bharat Completes Ghat Trials, Service Likely Soon

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Aug 23, 2026: The proposed Vande Bharat Express between Bengaluru and Mangaluru has crossed a key technical milestone with the successful completion of multiple trial runs on the challenging Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya Road ghat section.

The trials, conducted on August 12, 13, 17, 18, 19 and 20, assessed the train’s performance and safety on the approximately 55-km stretch, which has steep gradients of up to 1:50. The South Western Railway General Manager also inspected the arrangements during the trials.

Following the final trial on Thursday, the rake proceeded from Subrahmanya towards Mangaluru. It will now be handed over to South Western Railway, with passengers awaiting the remaining approvals before commercial operations begin.

Special Rake for Ghat Section
A special 20-coach Vande Bharat rake was manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, specifically for operations on the ghat section. Unlike conventional trains, Vande Bharat cannot operate with additional banker locomotives used to assist trains on steep gradients.

The rake arrived in Mysuru and underwent static testing on August 11 before being moved to Sakleshpur. Experts from the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) supervised the trials, examining speed control, driving performance, braking distance and other safety parameters.

The rake is equipped with an Automatic Emergency Brake (AEB) system, while the Commissioner of Railway Safety has prescribed a maximum speed of 30 kmph on the ghat section.

With the trials successfully completed, the proposed Bengaluru-Mangaluru Vande Bharat service has cleared a crucial technical hurdle. The service is expected to commence after the completion of the remaining approvals and formalities.