The Railway Board has approved a Vande Bharat Sleeper service between KSR Bengaluru and Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), with the train likely to be introduced this month.
The sleeper train is expected to run six days a week. The Bengaluru bound service is likely to skip Mondays, while the Mumbai bound train may not operate on Tuesdays.
According to the proposed schedule, the Mumbai to Bengaluru train, numbered 27652, may leave CSMT at 10.30 pm and reach KSR Bengaluru at around 2.50 pm the next day.
The return service, Train 27651, is expected to leave Bengaluru at 10 pm and reach Mumbai at around 1.50 pm the following day.
The train is proposed to stop at Anantapur, Guntakal, Raichur, Kalaburagi, Solapur, Pune and Kalyan. Solapur and Pune will also have facilities to service and maintain the train, according to a Railway Board communication.
The Railways is yet to officially announce the timetable. Based on the proposed timings, however, the journey between Bengaluru and Mumbai will take about 16 hours.
The approved plan includes two Vande Bharat Sleeper rakes. The first run could be operated as a special train before the service becomes part of the regular timetable.
The new train will give passengers another overnight option between the two cities, which currently do not have a direct Vande Bharat or Duronto service.
The Udyan Express remains the only direct daily train between Bengaluru and Mumbai. It covers around 1,134 km in nearly 22 hours, with an average speed of about 52 kmph.
For those travelling by road, the distance is around 984 km and the journey usually takes 15 to 17 hours, depending on traffic and road conditions.
If the proposed schedule goes ahead, the Vande Bharat Sleeper will offer passengers a faster overnight rail option between Bengaluru and Mumbai, while allowing them to avoid losing an entire day to travel.