Bengaluru-Goa Vande Bharat to begin regular services on November 15: Check timetable, fares, route and stoppages
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated Vande Bharat chair car services connecting Bengaluru, Mangaluru and Margao, significantly reducing travel time between Bengaluru and Goa to approximately 13 hours and 20 minutes. The Yesvantpur-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express services will become operational from November 15.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Railway Board Chairman Satish Kumar described the chair car services as a ‘wonderful’ opportunity to boost tourism.
“This represents a major boost to the economy by significantly reducing our dependency on diesel fuel… By connecting Bengaluru directly to the premier tourism destination of Goa while passing through Bengaluru, this new service is a wonderful addition for the people of Karnataka and all travelers,” Kumar said.
Route:
Train No. 26655 will leave Yesvantpur Junction at 7:35 am and arrive at Madgaon at 8:55 pm. En route, it will halt at 12 stations: Shravanabelagola (9:03 am), Hassan (9:38 am), Sakleshpur (10:20 am), Subrahmanya Road (12:40 pm), Kabakaputtur (1:25 pm), Mangaluru Junction (3:05 pm), Udupi (4:20 pm), Kundapura (4:38 pm), Mookambika Road Byndoor (5:20 pm), Murdeshwar (6 pm), Gokarna Road (7 pm) and Karwar (7:45 pm).
The service will run six days a week, excluding Wednesdays.
The return journey will take 12 hours and 55 minutes. Train No. 26656 will depart from Madgaon at 8:20 am and arrive at Yesvantpur Junction at 9:15 pm. Along the way, it will halt at 12 stations: Karwar (9:03 am), Gokarna Road (9:48 am), Murdeshwar (11 am), Mookambika Road Byndoor (11:20 am), Kundapura (11:48 am), Udupi (12:18 pm), Mangaluru Junction (1:50 pm), Kabakaputtur (2:43 pm), Subrahmanya Road (3:28 pm), Sakleshpur (5:30 pm), Hassan (6:13 pm) and Shravanabelagola (6:43 pm).
The proposed service will pass through the newly electrified 55-km ghat stretch between Sakleshpur and Subrahmanya Road. Owing to the difficult terrain and safety considerations, trains on this section are currently subject to a speed limit of 30 kmph.
The Times of India, citing a railway official, stated that while the Vande Bharat service would facilitate travel for 1,100 passengers, nearly 15,000 regular travellers are likely to be affected. Citing a senior South Western Railway official, the report added that the new service would be given priority through the ghat section.
Fares:
According to a report by The Hindu, the fare for the Yesvantpur–Madgaon Vande Bharat Express varies depending on the travel class. Passengers will pay approximately ₹1,369 for an AC Chair Car (CC) ticket and ₹2,795 for an Executive Chair Car (EC) ticket.
These fares include the base ticket price, reservation and superfast charges, along with 5% GST.
