Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper sees huge demand, tickets go on waiting list ahead of launch

The Railway Board has greenlit the introduction of a new Vande Bharat Express train, the Yesvantpur-Madgaon service, on the route connecting Bengaluru, Karnataka to Goa. Developed by BEML with technology from the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, the semi-high-speed train aims to enhance connectivity between the two states. The new Vande Bharat Express, numbered 26655 and 26656, will traverse the 760-kilometer route in approximately 13 hours and 20 minutes, with six-day-a-week service, except for Wednesdays and Thursdays.

The journey begins in Yesvantpur, near Bengaluru, at 07:35 and concludes in Madgaon, Goa, at 20:55. The reverse route, from Madgaon to Yesvantpur, departs at 08:20 and arrives at 21:15. The train halts at 12 stations, including Shravanabelagola, Hassan, Sakleshpur, Mangaluru Junction, and Karwar, along its 760-kilometer route. The discontinuation of the existing 20645/20646 Madgaon-Mangaluru Central Vande Bharat Express is expected to pave the way for improved rail connectivity between Karnataka and Goa, with the electrification of the ghat section further enhancing the train's operational efficiency and reliability.