The new service is expected to commence regular operations from November 15 following the official launch on November 13.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw are likely to flag off the Yeshwantpur-Mangaluru-Madgaon-Yeshwantpur Vande Bharat Express on November 13, according to The Hindu. The Prime Minister will be in Bengaluru to dedicate the 7.5 km Namma Metro Pink Line between Kalena Agrahara and Tavarekere, and will remotely flag off the service from Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal.
The Railway Minister will launch the service from Mangaluru Junction. The new service, designated as Train No. 26655/656, will replace the existing Mangaluru Central-Madgaon-Mangaluru Central Vande Bharat Express, which will be discontinued from November 15.
The service will have 12 halts, excluding the originating and terminating stations. These include Shravanabelagola, Hassan, Sakleshpur, Subrahmanya Road, Kabaka Puttur, Mangaluru Junction, Udupi, Kundapura, Byndoor, Murdeshwar, Gokarna Road, and Karwar.
The Yeshwantpur-Madgaon service is expected to be the longest-duration Vande Bharat chair car service in India. It will also be the slowest among all Vande Bharat services in the country, with an average speed of 54 kmph in the down direction and 53 kmph in the up direction.
The new 16-car rakes in orange livery have been stabled in Bengaluru and Mangaluru. The Bengaluru-Mangaluru leg of the journey is expected to take slightly less than 8 hours.
