The Bengaluru–Mumbai Vande Bharat sleeper train is likely to be launched on November 1, with regular operations expected to begin the following day, creating the first Vande Bharat sleeper connection in southern India between two major metropolitan regions.
The proposed service is expected to run six days a week, according to railway officials and a Railway Board communication accessed by The Hindu. It is planned to coincide with Karnataka Rajyotsava, while Mondays will be the non-operating day for the Bengaluru–Mumbai service and Tuesdays for the return journey.
The Bengaluru–Mumbai train will operate as Train No. 27652 and is scheduled to depart from KSR Bengaluru at 10 p.m. It will reach Dharmavaram at 12.50 a.m. and Wadi at 5.05 a.m. before arriving at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai at 1.50 p.m. the next day, according to the proposed timetable.
The return service, Train No. 27651, is scheduled to leave Mumbai at 10.30 p.m. and reach Wadi at 7.25 a.m. and Dharmavaram at 11.45 a.m. before terminating at KSR Bengaluru at 2.50 p.m. The route will also connect Anantapur, Guntakal, Raichur, Kalaburagi, Solapur, Pune and Kalyan.
The Railway Board approved the service following the minutes of a meeting held on February 16, 2026. Two Vande Bharat sleeper trainsets will be deployed. Solapur and Pune have been designated for watering and other terminal-related requirements, according to the communication.
The 16-coach train is designed for overnight journeys of between 800 km and 1,200 km. Each rake can accommodate 823 passengers, with 11 third AC coaches providing 611 berths, four second AC coaches providing 188 berths and one first AC coach offering 24 berths.
The coaches will be fully air-conditioned and equipped with automatic sliding doors, CCTV surveillance, bio-vacuum toilets, sensor-operated water taps, individual reading lights, charging points and digital passenger information displays. Catering will include vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals. Safety systems include the indigenous Kavach automatic train protection system and emergency talk-back facilities.
The proposed service is intended to offer a faster and more comfortable overnight option for passengers travelling between Bengaluru and Mumbai, while also improving rail connectivity for cities and towns along the route. The service would add a premium sleeper option to a corridor that links Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
India’s first commercial Vande Bharat sleeper service began operations between Kamakhya in Assam and Howrah in West Bengal in January 2026. That service covers approximately 972 km in around 14 hours and established the sleeper variant before its proposed introduction in southern India.
South Western Railway sources said Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is expected to flag off the Bengaluru–Mumbai service. The final timetable, fares and other operational details are expected to be confirmed through a formal Railway Board notification.
