Union Minister Vaishnaw flags off first Vande Bharat sleeper from Bengaluru to Mumbai

A new overnight rail service between Bengaluru and Mumbai has begun. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat sleeper train on Sunday, November 1. The 16-coach train has better passenger amenities and improved technical features for long-distance travellers.

The first service left from Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT) in Bengaluru. It is due to reach Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in Mumbai at 6.15 am on Monday. Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and H D Kumaraswamy, and Ministers of State V Somanna and Shobha Karandlaje, were present at the flag-off. MPs Tejasvi Surya, P C Mohan and C N Manjunath also took part.

Regular operations will begin from Bengaluru on November 2 and from Mumbai on November 3. Train number 27652 will leave SMVT Bengaluru at 7.45 pm and reach CSMT Mumbai at 11.55 am the next day. From Bengaluru, the service will run six days a week, except Monday.

In the reverse direction, train number 27651 will leave CSMT Mumbai at 8.10 pm and reach SMVT Bengaluru in the afternoon the next day. From Mumbai, the service will run six days a week, except Tuesday. The train will stop at Anantapur, Guntakal, Raichur, Yadgir, Kalaburagi, Solapur, Pune and Kalyan.

After the inauguration, Vaishnaw told reporters that several improvements had been made to the train to increase passenger comfort and operational efficiency. A special arrangement has been made to make the middle and upper berths easier to reach. Loco pilots have also been given a separate toilet inside the engine cabin.

According to the minister, advanced couplers have been fitted between the coaches to reduce jerks during the journey. He said the propulsion system and bogie design are being continuously upgraded on the basis of experience with earlier Vande Bharat models.

Accessibility was also made a priority. Before the design was finalised, the train was reportedly tested by people with different abilities to gauge passenger convenience. Vaishnaw added that India's Vande Bharat chair car and sleeper trains are moving towards international standards. He indicated that the country is setting a target to begin exporting Vande Bharat trains in the next three to four years.

The sleeper service is expected to strengthen connectivity between Karnataka and Maharashtra. It should also give overnight travellers between Bengaluru and Mumbai a better option.