Vande Bharat train will start running between Ayodhya and Janakpur from November 23

Residents of Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka, and passengers traveling to the coast in Mangaluru have good news. Indian Railways plans to launch the Vande Bharat Express between these two cities starting November 13. This high-speed semi-train will allow travel from Bangalore to Mangaluru in approximately 7 hours. Previously, several express trains operated on this route, requiring 9 hours or even more to cover the distance. The launch of the new train is expected to provide faster rail connectivity for business travelers, tourists, and daily commuters.

According to available data, the proposed Vande Bharat Express will run between Yashvantpur station in Bangalore and Mangaluru Junction. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had previously hinted at the imminent launch of the Vande Bharat train on this route. However, an official statement from the railway regarding the commencement date, final schedule, and stops is still awaited.

The Vande Bharat Express tested on the Bangalore-Mangaluru route in September showed impressive results. On September 10, the 16-coach train departed from Yashvantpur at 6:50 AM and arrived at Mangaluru Junction at 1:55 PM, completing the journey in approximately 7 hours and 5 minutes. The return journey from Mangaluru to Yashvantpur took about 6 hours and 49 minutes. These test results indicate that the new train can significantly save passenger time compared to existing express services.

Currently, many trains running between Bangalore and Mangaluru require a long time to complete the journey. For instance, the Bangalore-Kannur train to Mangaluru takes about 9 hours, while the Yashvantpur-Karwar train takes about 9 hours and 35 minutes. With the proposed Vande Bharat Express, however, this distance could be covered in approximately 7 hours, representing a potential time saving of two to two and a half hours for passengers.

The proposed Vande Bharat train will travel from Yashvantpur to Mangaluru Junction. During the trials, a stop was planned at four stations: Hassan, Sakleshpur, Subrahmanya Road, and Kabaka Puttur. However, the final decision on regular stops at these stations has not yet been made. The final route, schedule, and stopping points will only become clear after an official announcement by the railway.

Work on the electrification of the Bangalore-Mangaluru railway route was completed in December 2025. The project began in December 2023 and included the installation of overhead electrical equipment on the tracks, as well as the construction of switching stations. A test using an electric locomotive was conducted on this route on December 28, 2025. The completion of electrification opened the way for electric train movement on this route. Nevertheless, due to the hilly terrain of the Western Ghats, especially on the Sakleshpur section with descents and winding tracks, speed restrictions will apply to train movement.

The Vande Bharat Express is designed with the needs of passengers for fast and comfortable travel in mind and is equipped with a range of modern amenities. Vande Bharat trains are capable of reaching speeds of up to 160 kilometers per hour on suitable railway lines. However, the actual speed on the Bangalore-Mangaluru route will depend on the condition of the tracks, the mountainous terrain, curves, and operational restrictions of the railway. Passengers should await an official announcement for now. If the service starts on November 13, rail connectivity between Bangalore and coastal Karnataka could become faster and more convenient than before.

Passengers traveling from Bangalore to Goa will receive a new option for rail travel. The Railway Board has approved the launch of a new Vande Bharat express on the Yashwanpur-Madgaon route. This train will run through Mangaluru and connect many important cities in Karnataka with coastal areas. The train will operate in both directions six days a week. The journey time from Yashwanpur to Madgaon will be 13 hours and 20 minutes, and the return journey will take 12 hours and 55 minutes.

The Railway Board approved the launch of the Yashwanpur-Madgaon Vande Bharat express in a letter dated October 30, 2026, under numbers 26655/26656. The train will travel from Yashwanpur station in Bangalore to Madgaon in Goa. This rake was manufactured by Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) using Integral Coach Factory (ICF) technologies in Chennai. It is expected that this will improve rail connectivity between Karnataka and Goa.

The new Vande Bharat express will pass through Mangaluru Junction and stop at 12 stations between Yashwanpur and Madgaon. These stops include Shravanabelagola, Hassan, Sakleshpur, Subrahmanya Road, Kabaka Puttur, Mangaluru Junction, Udupi, Kundapura, Mukambika Road Bindur, Murudeshwar, Gokarna Road, and Karwar. Thanks to this route, passengers traveling between Bangalore and Goa will be able to use Vande Bharat services during the day.

Train number 26655 will depart from Yashwanpur at 7:35 AM and arrive in Madgaon at 8:55 PM, taking 13 hours and 20 minutes. The schedule of stops on this route is as follows: Shravanabelagola — from 09:03 to 09:05, Hassan — from 09:38 to 09:40, Sakleshpur — from 10:20 to 10:22, Subrahmanya Road — from 12:40 to 12:42, Kabaka Puttur — from 13:25 to 13:27, Mangaluru Junction — from 15:05 to 15:15, Udupi — from 16:20 to 16:22, Kundapura — from 16:38 to 16:40, Mukambika Road Bindur — from 17:20 to 17:22, Murudeshwar — from 18:00 to 18:02, Gokarna Road — from 19:00 to 19:02, Karwar — from 19:45 to 19:47.

Return, train number 26656 will depart from Madgaon at 8:20 AM and arrive in Yashwanpur at 9:15 PM, taking 12 hours and 55 minutes. The stopping schedule for the return direction is as follows: Karwar — from 09:03 to 09:05, Gokarna Road — from 09:48 to 09:50, Murudeshwar — from 11:00 to 11:02, Mukambika Road Bindur — from 11:20 to 11:22, Kundapura — from 11:48 to 11:50, Udupi — from 12:18 to 12:20, Mangaluru Junction — from 13:50 to 14:00, Kabaka Puttur — from 14:43 to 14:45, Subrahmanya Road — from 15:28 to 15:30, Sakleshpur — from 17:30 to 17:32, Hassan — from 18:13 to 18:15, Shravanabelagola — from 18:43 to 18:45.

The new train will operate in both directions six days a week. However, the Yashwanpur to Madgaon train will not run on Wednesdays, and the Madgaon to Yashwanpur train will not run on Thursdays. Thus, passengers can use this service on the remaining days of the week. Nevertheless, the railway has not yet announced the exact date of regular operation for the train.

With the launch of the new train 20645/20646 Madgaon-Mangaluru Central Vande Bharat Express, the existing Vande Bharat Express will be discontinued. The Railway Board also notified the cessation of this train's service. That is, after the new Vande Bharat service starts on this route, the Yashwanpur-Madgaon train will replace the existing line.

The electrification of the mountain section has enabled the movement of high-speed electric trains on this route. Previously, the Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that a Vande Bharat train could now be launched on this route up to Mangaluru. Work on the electrification of the Bangalore-Mangaluru railway line began in December 2023 and was completed in December 2025. A trial run using an electric engine was conducted on December 28, 2025. As part of the project, five switching stations were built and an overhead electrification system was installed along the entire route. To ensure safety, the maximum distance between traction poles was set at 67.5 meters.

The new Yashwanpur-Madgaon Vande Bharat will provide direct connectivity for passengers traveling between Bangalore and Goa, as well as for residents of cities such as Hassan, Sakleshpur, Mangaluru, Udupi, and Karwar. Since the train will run during the day and reach its destination on the same day in both directions, passengers are left to await the next announcement from the railway regarding the start date and ticket booking.

Last week, the second Vande Bharat train between Varanasi and Delhi was launched across the country. This train is the first Vande Bharat Sleeper express in Uttar Pradesh state and will provide a very comfortable overnight journey. Previously, information regarding fares and the start of booking was unavailable, but now a list of fares by station is available, and bookings have commenced.

This Vande Bharat Sleeper train, designed for high-speed operation, is capable of reaching speeds of up to 180 km/h. However, on the Varanasi-New Delhi route, it will travel at a speed of 130 to 160 km/h. The operation and technical maintenance of this route will be carried out by the Northern Railway zone.

According to the Ministry of Railways, train No. 27421/27422 Varanasi-New Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat Sleeper Express will begin its regular service on Monday, November 2, 2026. The Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper Express (27421) will run every day except Friday, while the New Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat Sleeper Express (27422) will operate every day except Saturday.

During its journey between Varanasi and New Delhi, this new Vande Bharat Sleeper train will make stops at four railway stations. These stations include Prayagraj, Kanpur Central, Aligarh, and Ghaziabad.

Tickets for the Varanasi-New Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat Sleeper train can be purchased in two ways: online and offline. For online booking, passengers can use the IRCTC website or the Rail Connect and Rail One applications. Offline booking is available at the Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters at railway stations.

The train will have 16 coaches offering three classes of service: Third AC, Second AC, and First AC. The ticket price for the Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper train is 1,915 rupees in Third AC (3A), 2,470 rupees in Second AC (2A), and 3,030 rupees in First AC (1A).

The article also mentions the amenities of the Varanasi-New Delhi Sleeper Vande Bharat train.