The proposed Bengaluru–Mangaluru Vande Bharat Express could reduce rail travel between Karnataka’s capital and its coastal hub from about nine hours to nearly seven, but the reported 13 November launch remains subject to an official announcement from Indian Railways.
According to Aaj Tak Business, the service is expected to run between Yesvantpur and Mangaluru Junction. The report said the train could improve rail connectivity for passengers travelling for business, tourism and daily or regular inter-city journeys. It also noted that Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had earlier indicated that a Vande Bharat service on the route could begin within a few weeks.
The proposed service was reportedly tested in September using a 16-coach train. On 10 September, the train left Yesvantpur at 6:50 am and reached Mangaluru Junction at 1:55 pm, completing the journey in about seven hours and five minutes. The return journey reportedly took approximately six hours and 49 minutes.
Those trial timings are shorter than the journey times of several existing services cited in the report. The Bengaluru–Kannur Express takes about nine hours to reach Mangaluru, while the Yesvantpur–Karwar Express takes approximately nine hours and 35 minutes. If the reported operating schedule is adopted, passengers could save roughly two to two-and-a-half hours on the route.
The trial reportedly included stops at Hassan, Sakleshpur, Subrahmanya Road and Kabaka Puttur. These locations cannot yet be treated as confirmed regular halts because the final route, timetable and stopping pattern have not been formally announced. The report said passengers are still waiting for the Railway authorities to confirm the operating details.
The route’s infrastructure has also undergone a significant change. Electrification work on the Bengaluru–Mangaluru line was reportedly completed in December 2025 after beginning in December 2023. The work included overhead electrical equipment and switching stations, followed by an electric locomotive trial on 28 December 2025.
Electrification enables electric train operations, but it does not mean that the Vande Bharat will run at its maximum design speed on this corridor. The route crosses the Western Ghats, including the hilly Sakleshpur section, where gradients, curves and operational restrictions can limit speed. Vande Bharat trains are capable of speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour on suitable routes, although the actual speed on this corridor will depend on track conditions and Railway operating rules.
The proposed train is reported to include automatic doors, CCTV cameras, fire-detection systems and the indigenous Kavach train-safety system, along with passenger comfort features. Whether the service begins on 13 November, and the precise timings and halts it will follow, will become clear only after Indian Railways issues its formal announcement.
