Mumbai-Bengaluru: Vande Bharat Sleeper to Slash Travel Time
Indian Railways plans a Vande Bharat Sleeper to cut Mumbai-Bengaluru travel time to 16 hours. Check Udyan Express schedule and new train details.
Travelers commuting between Mumbai and Bengaluru are set for a massive upgrade. While the Udyan Express has long been the primary lifeline for this route, Indian Railways is advancing plans to introduce a high-speed Vande Bharat Sleeper service that promises to drastically reduce travel time.
Udyan Express: The Current Lifeline
The Udyan Express remains a vital daily link connecting Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna (KSR) railway station in Bengaluru. Spanning approximately 1,153 kilometers, the train serves as a major transport mode across Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
The current operations are scheduled as follows:
- Train 11301: Departs Mumbai CSMT daily at 07:55 AM and arrives at KSR Bengaluru at 06:00 AM the following day.
- Train 11302: Departs KSR Bengaluru at 08:45 PM and reaches Mumbai CSMT at 08:15 PM the next day.
The journey currently takes about 22 hours and 5 minutes. The route includes key halts at Dadar Central, Kalyan Junction, Lonavala, Pune Junction, Solapur Junction, Kalaburagi, Wadi, Guntakal Junction, Anantapur, Dharmavaram Junction, Hindupur, Gauribidanur, Dodballapur, and Yelahanka Junction.
Since November 2019, the train has been operated with LHB coaches. The coach composition consists of 1 AC First Class, 3 AC 2-tier, 3 AC 3-tier, 3 AC 3-tier Economy, 8 Sleeper Class, and 3 General Unreserved coaches. While on-board and e-catering services are available, the train does not feature a pantry car.
Vande Bharat Sleeper: A Faster Alternative
To revolutionize this corridor, Indian Railways and the South Western Railway (SWR) are working on a new Vande Bharat Sleeper Express. This proposed service aims to cut the travel time from the current 24-hour window down to just 16 hours.
Although the project faced delays in October due to the model code of conduct for the Karnataka Legislative Council elections, officials are now targeting a November 1 launch to coincide with Karnataka Rajyotsava. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is expected to preside over the inaugural run.
New Train Features and Tentative Fares
The proposed 16-coach Vande Bharat Sleeper is designed to offer a premium experience with a total of 823 berths. The coach configuration will include:
- 11 AC Three-Tier coaches
- 4 AC Two-Tier coaches
- 1 AC First Class coach
Tentative fares for the new service are expected to range between Rs 2,600 and Rs 4,250. Tentative stops under consideration for this high-speed service include Anantapur, Guntakal, Raichur, Kalaburagi, Solapur, and Kalyan.