Stories
South India's First Vande Bharat Sleeper: Bengaluru-Mumbai Service Launching Soon
- •South India's first Vande Bharat Sleeper service between Bengaluru and Mumbai is expected to launch next weekend, potentially October 10 or 11, connecting Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT) Bengaluru and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) Mumbai.
- •The overnight service will take approximately 16 hours from Bengaluru to Mumbai and 15 hours 45 minutes for the return journey, operating six days a week.
- •The proposed route includes seven intermediate stoppages: Anantapur, Guntakal, Raichur, Kalaburagi, Solapur, Pune, and Kalyan, providing vital connectivity across Karnataka and Maharashtra.
- •The 16-coach Vande Bharat Sleeper trainsets, manufactured by BEML, will feature 11 AC three-tier, four AC two-tier, and one First AC coach, with a capacity of 823 passengers.
- •This service is anticipated to significantly reduce travel time compared to existing direct services, which typically take 22-24 hours, marking a major upgrade in overnight rail connectivity.
Key Questions Answered
The Vande Bharat Sleeper service between Bengaluru and Mumbai is likely to be launched next weekend on October 10 or 11, 2026. It is proposed to connect Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT) Bengaluru and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) Mumbai six days a week.
According to the tentative timetable, the Bengaluru-Mumbai journey will take around 16 hours, while the return trip will take about 15 hours and 45 minutes. The train is expected to depart SMVT Bengaluru at 7:50 pm and reach CSMT Mumbai at 11:55 am the next day, and depart CSMT Mumbai at 8:10 pm to arrive in Bengaluru at 11:55 am the following day.
The service will be operated using 16-coach Vande Bharat Sleeper trainsets manufactured by BEML, with a total capacity of 823 passengers. Each trainset consists of 11 AC three-tier coaches, four AC two-tier coaches, and one First AC coach.
