Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, speaking to the media in Bengaluru, announced key developments to strengthen rail connectivity between Bengaluru and Mumbai.
During his visit to BEML’s Thippasandra campus, he inaugurated a dedicated complex for manufacturing high-speed B-28 trainsets, described as India’s indigenous bullet train initiative.
He also confirmed the rollout of two new train services between the two cities in the coming months. These include a superfast Mail/Express train via Belagavi, featuring advanced LHB coaches, and a Vande Bharat Sleeper Express designed for faster and more comfortable overnight travel.
The Vande Bharat sleeper service will operate between KSR Bengaluru and CSMT Mumbai via Guntakal and Kalaburagi, with an estimated travel time of around 16 hours.
Meanwhile, the Belagavi route train—originally announced as a bi-weekly service in December—is set to be upgraded to a superfast category. While the route remains unchanged, the upgrade is expected to reduce overall travel time, according to sources in the South Western Railway.