Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagging off the Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Express from SMVT Bengaluru Railway Station in Bengaluru on Sunday (November 1).
| Photo Credit: ALLEN EGENUSE J.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday (November 1) flagged off the Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Express, introducing a new overnight rail service connecting two of the country’s major economic centres.
The new service will connect Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT), Bengaluru, with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Mumbai, passing through important stations in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
Highlighting the significance of the service, Mr. Vaishnaw said that the train would connect Bengaluru, India’s IT and start-up capital, with Mumbai, the country’s financial capital. It is expected to benefit professionals, entrepreneurs, students, traders, business travellers and tourists.
The new service will connect Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT), Bengaluru, with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Mumbai, passing through important stations in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
| Photo Credit:
ALLEN EGENUSE J.
Six-day service across three States
The train will run through Anantapur and Guntakal in Andhra Pradesh; Raichur, Yadgir, Wadi and Kalaburagi in Karnataka; and Solapur, Pune and Kalyan in Maharashtra.
The service is expected to improve overnight connectivity, particularly for passengers from North Karnataka, by providing access to a modern sleeper train service, according to railway officials.
According to the announced schedule, the train will depart SMVT Bengaluru at 7.45 p.m. and reach CSMT Mumbai at 11.55 a.m. the following day. In the return direction, it will leave Mumbai at 8.10 p.m. and arrive in Bengaluru at noon the next day.
The service will operate six days a week, except Mondays from Bengaluru and Tuesdays from Mumbai. The introduction of the Bengaluru-Mumbai service follows the launch of Vande Bharat Sleeper services on the Howrah-Guwahati corridor in January 2026 and the flagging off of the Varanasi-New Delhi service on Saturday (October 31).
Bengaluru-Hubballi Vande Bharat Sleeper service
Meanwhile, Mr. Vaishnaw also announced plans to introduce another Vande Bharat Sleeper service from Bengaluru towards the Hubballi region, extending towards Pune and Mumbai. The proposed service is expected to strengthen connectivity with north Karnataka.
He further said that Vande Bharat services between Bengaluru and Mangaluru are expected to commence within the next few weeks, subject to the completion of electrification and successful testing on the route. The service is expected to improve rail connectivity between Bengaluru and coastal Karnataka.
Highlighting other railway infrastructure developments, the Union Minister highlighted the expansion of high-speed rail connectivity in Karnataka and the development of new railway corridors to strengthen regional connectivity and promote economic integration. Highlighting the expected reduction in travel time, he stated that the Bengaluru-Chennai journey would take just 73 minutes, while Bengaluru-Hyderabad connectivity would be covered in approximately two hours and 10 minutes.
Published – November 01, 2026 09:16 pm IST
