Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Express flagged off by Railway Minister

On November 1, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated the Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Express, establishing a new overnight train service linking two key economic hubs in India. The train will operate between Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal in Bengaluru and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai, traversing significant stations in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra.

Railway officials emphasized the service's potential to enhance connectivity, particularly for professionals, entrepreneurs, students, traders, business travelers, and tourists. The train departs Bengaluru at 7:45 p.m. and reaches Mumbai at 11:55 a.m. the following day, while the return journey leaves Mumbai at 8:10 p.m. and arrives in Bengaluru at noon the next day.

The service will run six days a week, excluding Mondays from Bengaluru and Tuesdays from Mumbai. The introduction of this service follows the launch of similar Vande Bharat Sleeper trains on the Howrah-Guwahati corridor in January 2026 and the Varanasi-New Delhi route on October 31. Additionally, Mr. Vaishnaw announced plans for another Vande Bharat Sleeper service from Bengaluru towards Hubballi, connecting to Pune and Mumbai, which is expected to strengthen north Karnataka connectivity.

Plans for Bengaluru-Mangaluru Vande Bharat services are also in the works, contingent on electrification and testing. The minister highlighted other railway infrastructure developments, including the expansion of high-speed rail in Karnataka and the creation of new corridors to boost regional connectivity and promote economic integration.