The inaugural Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Express is likely to run on November 1, offering the first proposed Vande Bharat sleeper service in southern India and potentially reducing the journey between the two cities from about 24 hours to 16 hours.
South Western Railway has proposed operating the inaugural special on Karnataka Rajyotsava, according to railway sources cited by the Times of India. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is expected to flag off the service, although the date for the start of regular commercial operations has not yet been notified.
The proposed train, identified by South Western Railway as services 27651 and 27652, will have 16 coaches with 823 berths. The composition will include 11 AC three-tier coaches, four AC two-tier coaches and one AC first-class coach. This configuration would provide overnight accommodation across multiple fare categories on the 1,118-km route.
The fare structure is yet to be finalised. Sources said ticket prices could range from Rs 2,600 to Rs 4,250, depending on the class of travel. The final fares, booking schedule and other operating details will be announced by the railway authorities.
The proposed route will connect Bengaluru and Mumbai through Anantapur, Guntakal, Raichur, Kalaburagi, Solapur and Kalyan. The service is intended to address the long travel time on one of the country’s important south-western rail links, where the Udyan Express remains the principal daily direct train between the two cities and takes around 24 hours to complete the journey.
A journey time of about 16 hours would give passengers a faster overnight rail option while retaining sleeper accommodation, allowing the service to compete with longer-distance road and air travel on the Bengaluru-Mumbai corridor. Its practical impact will depend on the final timetable, stoppages, fare structure, berth availability and the date on which regular services begin.
The inaugural run was not launched in October because the model code of conduct was in force for the Karnataka Legislative Council elections, according to a railway official cited in the report. The November 1 proposal therefore remains subject to the final operating announcement and official confirmation of the launch arrangements.
