New Vande Bharat Express to connect Bengaluru and Goa via Western Ghats
The Railway Board has approved a six-day-a-week service between Yesvantpur and Madgaon via Mangaluru Junction.
The Railway Board approved the introduction of the 26655/26656 Yesvantpur-Madgaon-Yesvantpur Vande Bharat Express on October 30. The service will run via Mangaluru Junction, passing through the Western Ghats section between Sakleshpur and Subrahmanya Road.
Train 26655 will depart Yesvantpur at 7.35 am and arrive at Madgaon at 8.55 pm, a journey of 13 hours and 20 minutes. The service will operate six days a week, except Wednesdays. In the return direction, train 26656 will leave Madgaon at 8.20 am and reach Yesvantpur at 9.15 pm, taking approximately 12 hours and 55 minutes.
This service will run six days a week, except Thursdays.
The train will halt at Shravanabelagola, Hassan, Sakleshpur, Subrahmanya Road, Kabaka Puttur, Mangaluru Junction, Udupi, Kundapura, Mookambika Road Byndoor, Murdeshwar, Gokarna Road, Karwar and Thokur. Two Vande Bharat rakes will be deployed for the service.
The Railway Board has also permitted the discontinuation of the existing 20645/20646 Mangaluru Central-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express, citing low passenger patronage. Railway officials have not yet announced the launch date or fare structure for the new service.