Railway Minister flags off Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Express on Sunday
The new overnight service between SMVT Bengaluru and CSMT Mumbai will operate six days a week.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Express from Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT) in Bengaluru on Sunday, November 1. The inaugural special train departed at 12.15 pm, according to reports from The Economic Times and The New Indian Express.
The ceremony was attended by Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel HD Kumaraswamy and Minister of State for Railways V Somanna. Regular services for train number 27652 are scheduled to begin from Bengaluru on November 3 and from Mumbai on November 2.
The 16-coach train will operate six days a week, except on Mondays. It is scheduled to depart SMVT Bengaluru at 7:45 pm and arrive at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in Mumbai at 11:55 am the following day.
The service will include eight scheduled halts at Anantapur, Guntakal, Raichur, Yadgir, Kalaburagi, Solapur, Pune, and Kalyan. The South Western Railway zone will operate and maintain the train.
According to The Indian Express, ticket bookings opened at 8 am on October 31 and saw high demand. For the first day of operation, Second AC and First AC classes were fully booked, with waiting lists appearing for subsequent dates.
Fares for the journey from Bengaluru to Mumbai are Rs 2,810 for Third AC, Rs 3,630 for Second AC, and Rs 4,450 for First AC.