Union Minister flags off Vande Bharat Sleeper services for Varanasi and Bengaluru
New overnight sleeper trains have been launched to connect Varanasi with New Delhi and Bengaluru with Mumbai.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off two new Vande Bharat Sleeper Express services on Saturday and Sunday, according to reports by Financial Express, The Hindu and Hindustan Times. The first service connects Varanasi and New Delhi, while the second connects Bengaluru and Mumbai.
The Varanasi-New Delhi service was launched on October 31 by Minister Vaishnaw and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The train will run six days a week, with no service on Fridays from Varanasi and no service on Saturdays from New Delhi. It will stop at Prayagraj, Kanpur Central, Aligarh and Ghaziabad.
The Bengaluru-Mumbai service was flagged off on Sunday, November 1. This service will run six days a week, excluding Mondays from Bengaluru and Tuesdays from Mumbai. It will travel from Sir M.
Visvesvaraya Terminal to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, passing through stations in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
The Varanasi-New Delhi route is expected to save 55 minutes on the journey to the capital and 35 minutes on the return trip compared to the Shiv Ganga Express. The new sleeper trains feature upgraded safety systems, including a Train Collision Avoidance System, and onboard amenities such as Wi-Fi and charging ports.
Minister Vaishnaw also mentioned plans for a Vande Bharat Sleeper service from Bengaluru towards the Hubballi region. He added that services between Bengaluru and Mangaluru are expected to start within a few weeks once electrification and testing are complete.