Bengaluru-Madgaon Vande Bharat: Bookings Open for New 16-Coach Service!
The new 16-coach Bengaluru-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express starts commercial service on Nov 15. Check fares, stops, and booking details here.
The wait for a premium travel experience between Karnataka and Goa is finally over. Indian Railways has officially opened commercial bookings for the highly anticipated 16-coach Bengaluru-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express, promising a faster and more comfortable journey for tourists and commuters alike.
Inauguration and Service Launch
The new service was officially inaugurated on Friday, November 13, 2026, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi alongside Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. Following the ceremonial launch, commercial operations are scheduled to commence on Sunday, November 15, 2026.
Operating under train numbers 26655 and 26656, the Vande Bharat Express will cover a total distance of 671 km. The journey from Yesvantpur Junction in Bengaluru to Madgaon in Goa will take approximately 13 hours and 20 minutes, while the return leg is expected to be slightly faster, completing the trip in 12 hours and 55 minutes.
Fares and How to Book
Travelers can book their tickets through several convenient channels, including the IRCTC website, the Rail Connect and RailOne mobile applications, or by visiting offline Passenger Reservation System counters.
The fare structure for the new service is as follows:
- AC Chair Car: Approximately ₹1,369
- Executive Chair Car: Approximately ₹2,795
Note: Fares may vary depending on meal inclusions, with alternative slabs reaching up to ₹2,200 for AC Chair Car and ₹3,865 for Executive Chair Car.
Route, Stops, and Weekly Schedule
Designed to significantly boost regional tourism, the train will serve several key stations along the route. The service will operate six days a week, with a scheduled suspension on Wednesdays for the Yesvantpur-Madgaon route and on Thursdays for the reverse journey.
Major stops on this route include:
- Shravanabelagola
- Hassan
- Sakleshpur
- Subrahmanya Road
- Kabakaputtur
- Mangaluru Junction
- Udupi
- Kundapura
- Mookambika Road Byndoor
- Murdeshwar
- Gokarna Road
- Karwar
Advanced Safety and Technology
The new 16-coach rake offers a massive passenger capacity of 1,128. To ensure the highest standards of passenger safety, the train is equipped with the state-of-the-art Kavach collision avoidance system.
The introduction of this specific route follows the permanent discontinuation of the previous Madgaon-Mangaluru Central-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express as of November 15, 2026. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw previously noted that the successful deployment of this service was made possible by the essential electrification of the Western Ghats section.