The Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Express began its inaugural run on Sunday, opening a new overnight rail connection between two of India’s largest metropolitan regions and adding a faster scheduled service for passengers travelling across Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the inaugural special train from Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT) in Bengaluru. The 16-coach train is scheduled to reach Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in Mumbai at 6.15 am on Monday.
The regular service will begin on November 2 in the Mumbai-bound direction and on November 3 for the return journey, according to South Western Railway. Train No. 27652 will depart SMVT Bengaluru at 7.45 pm and arrive at CSMT Mumbai at 11.55 am the following day. It will run six days a week, except Mondays.
In the return direction, Train No. 27651 will leave CSMT Mumbai at 8.10 pm and reach SMVT Bengaluru at noon the next day. This service will operate six days a week, except Tuesdays. The scheduled journey creates an overnight travel option while retaining daytime arrival timings at both metropolitan terminals.
The regular service will stop at Anantapur, Guntakal, Raichur, Yadgir, Kalaburagi, Solapur, Pune and Kalyan. The inaugural special train additionally stopped at Hindupur, Dharmavaram and Lonavala, but these stations are not listed among the scheduled stoppages for the regular service.
The train’s route links Bengaluru and Mumbai with several important urban centres in northern Karnataka, southern Maharashtra and the Mumbai metropolitan region. The listed stops include cities such as Raichur, Kalaburagi, Solapur and Pune, allowing the service to function as an intercity connection rather than only a direct metropolitan link.
The 16-coach rake comprises eight motor car coaches and four trailer car coaches. South Western Railway said the service is expected to provide passengers with a comfortable overnight travel option and improve connectivity between Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and H D Kumaraswamy, Ministers of State V Somanna and Shobha Karandlaje, and Members of Parliament Tejasvi Surya, P C Mohan and C N Manjunath were among those present at the flag-off ceremony. The next operational milestone is the commencement of regular Mumbai-bound service on November 2, followed by the Bengaluru-bound service on November 3.
