On September 3 2026 Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde along with Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal officially inaugurated a new daily express rail service connecting Mumbai and the Konkan region. This newly introduced train bridges a crucial gap in regional connectivity providing a direct overnight link between Mumbai and Sindhudurg. The new daily express service connects Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus CSMT and Sindhudurg's Sawantwadi Road covering approximately 510 kilometers. The inaugural special train operated with the train number 01001. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted that Indian Railways is operating 350 special trains for Ganesh Utsav with capacity to scale up to 370 if needed.
The grand inauguration took place at Platform 18 of the CSMT station in Mumbai. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde presided over the physical ceremony. Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal joined the event virtually. Other notable dignitaries in attendance included Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar Maharashtra Fisheries and Ports Minister Nitesh Rane Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde and several senior railway officials from Central Railway. Leaders emphasized that the service addresses a long-standing demand for direct Konkan connectivity while boosting tourism local trade and employment.
Under the standard daily schedule the train departs from CSMT at 11:55 PM and arrives at Sawantwadi Road at 2:15 PM the following afternoon. For the return journey the train departs Sawantwadi Road at 5:20 PM and reaches CSMT at 6:40 AM the next morning. The route spans across Raigad Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts.
The train stops at Dadar Thane Panvel Pen Roha Mangaon Veer Khed Chiplun Savarda Aravali Road Sangameshwar Road Ratnagiri Adavali Vilavade Rajapur Road Vaibhavwadi Road Nandgaon Road Kankavli Sindhudurg and Kudal stations. To cater to diverse passenger needs the train is equipped with a comprehensive rake composition.
The service features one AC First Class coach two AC 2-Tier coaches three AC 3-Tier coaches four sleeper coaches four general Second Class coaches one Second Class seating coach with a guard's brake van and one generator van. This diverse mix ensures comfortable travel options for daily commuters migrant workers families and devotees traveling home for festivals like Ganesh Utsav.
