Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Service Flagged Off!
Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flags off the new Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper. Experience luxury overnight travel with 823 berths and 12 stops.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has officially flagged off India's third Vande Bharat Sleeper train service, establishing a premium, high-speed overnight connection between Bengaluru and Mumbai.
Inaugural Journey and Schedule
The inaugural one-way special service, identified as Train No. 06503, departed from SMVT Bengaluru at 12:15 PM on November 1, 2026. The train is scheduled to arrive at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in Mumbai at 6:15 AM on Monday.
Regular commercial operations for this South Western Railway (SWR) managed service are set to begin on the following schedule:
- From Mumbai: Starting November 2
- From Bengaluru: Starting November 3
The service will operate six days a week, providing a rapid 16-hour journey. This new link offers a significantly faster alternative to existing conventional services such as the Udyan Express.
Luxury Accommodations and Capacity
The Vande Bharat Sleeper is designed to provide a superior travel experience, featuring 16 specialized coaches with a total capacity of 823 berths. The coach configuration is as follows:
- AC 3-Tier: 11 coaches providing 611 berths
- AC 2-Tier: 4 coaches providing 188 berths
- AC First-Class: 1 coach providing 24 berths
Route and Intermediate Stops
To ensure connectivity across the region, the train will make 12 intermediate stops along its route. These include:
Hindupur, Dharmavaram, Anantapur, Guntakal, Raichur, Krishna, Yadgir, Kalaburagi, Solapur, Pune, Lonavala, and Kalyan.
High Passenger Demand
Following the finalization of the route and schedule by the Railway Board, passenger interest has been immense. According to the IRCTC portal, tickets for the initial days of the service are already showing waiting lists across various classes, reflecting the high anticipation for this new luxury connection.