Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Express flagged off by Railway Minister

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged 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 flagged off the Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Express on Sunday (November 1), introducing a new night rail service connecting the country’s two major economic hubs.

The new service will connect Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminus (SMVT), Bengaluru, with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Mumbai, passing through important stations in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Highlighting the importance of the service, Mr. Vaishnaw said the train will connect Bengaluru, India’s IT and startup capital, with Mumbai, the country’s financial capital. It is expected to benefit professionals, entrepreneurs, students, businessmen, business travelers and tourists.

Six-day service in three states

The train will pass 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 night connectivity, especially for passengers from North Karnataka, by giving them access to modern sleeper trains, according to railway officials.

As per the announced timetable, the train will depart from SMVT Bengaluru at 7:45 PM and reach CSMT Mumbai at 11:55 AM the next day. In the return direction, it will leave Mumbai at 8.10 pm and reach 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 the Vande Bharat Sleeper services on the Howrah-Guwahati corridor in January 2026 and the termination 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 to the Hubballi area extending towards Pune and Mumbai. The proposed service is expected to enhance connectivity with North Karnataka.

He further said that the Vande Bharat services between Bengaluru and Mangaluru should be launched within the next few weeks, subject to completion of electrification and successful route testing. The service is expected to improve rail connectivity between Bengaluru and coastal Karnataka.

Highlighting further development of railway infrastructure, the Union Minister highlighted expansion of high-speed rail connectivity in Karnataka and development of new rail corridors to strengthen regional connectivity and promote economic integration. Highlighting the expected reduction in travel time, he said the Bengaluru-Chennai journey will take just 73 minutes, while the Bengaluru-Hyderabad link will be covered in around two hours and 10 minutes.

Published – 01 Nov 2026 21:16 IST