Bengaluru to Chennai in just 4 hours? Railways approves increase in train speeds: Report

Railway authorities have granted permission to increase train speeds between Arakkonam and Jolarpettai, reducing travel time between Bengaluru and Chennai.

Published on: Aug 19, 2023, 11:28:51 IST

By Yamini C S

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In good news for frequent travellers between Karnataka capital Bengaluru and Chennai city, Railway authorities have approved the increase in train speeds between the Arakkonam and Jolarpettai stations, which will reduce travel time between the two cities to just four hours, a report said.

The revision of speeds is expected to save passengers 25 to 30 minutes. (File photo)

Train speeds have been increased from 110 kilometre per hour (kmph) to 130 kmph on the 144 km stretch, and this is set to benefit trains heading towards Bengaluru. Authorities were reportedly waiting on taking the decision till the ongoing track and signal works were completed.

ALSO READ | Bengaluru to Chennai in 2 hours: 10 things to know about this expressway

The revision of speeds is expected to save passengers 25 to 30 minutes. The Railways authorities in a circular said a total of 124 trains with the Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches are now permitted to run at the new speed of 130 kmph between Arakkonam and Jolarpettai from next week onwards. Trains that are equipped with the ICF-design coaches will run at the speed of 110 kmph due to safety reasons.

The semi-high speed Vande Bharat Express will complete the travel 25 minutes sooner, with travel time dropping from four hours and 25 minutes to four hours. Meanwhile, other trains including the Shatabdi and the Brindavan Express will take 30 minutes less for the travel, with travel time inching down from six hours to five and a half hours.

ALSO READ | Bengaluru-Dharwad Vande Bharat Express: Schedule, rate, and all you need to know

The report quoted an official as saying that other trains heading to Bengaluru will also gradually be allowed to shift to higher speeds on the stretch as ongoing projects are completed.

Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari had said last year in August that the upcoming Bengaluru-Chennai expressway will drastically impact travel time between the two metropolitan cities, bringing it down to only two hours.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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