Mumbai-Bengaluru Vande Bharat sleeper to commence after Dusshera

The train is likely to depart from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) late in the evening, so that it does not affect suburban local trains

Mumbai: The first Vande Bharat sleeper train to operate from the city will make its inaugural journey after Dusshera. Slated to run between Mumbai and Bengaluru, the train will cover the distance of 1,153 kilometres in 15-16 hours, compared to 24 hours taken by the popular Udyan Express which runs on this route, officials familiar with the matter told Hindustan Times.

(Hindustan Times)

The train is likely to depart from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) late in the evening, so that it does not affect suburban local trains, though there is no clarity yet on its frequency. The on-board menu will likely feature popular dishes such as misal pav, bisibele bath, mysore pak and thalipith, officials said.

“We are in talks with leading chefs, cloud kitchens and cooking partners who work alongside four and five star hotels to supply food on trains. We are also finalising local cuisines from the two states which will be included in the menu,” said an official from the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).

Though the train can travel at a maximum speed of 180 kmph, it will be operated at speeds up to 160 kmph, officials said.

“We have informed the Railway Board that the Vande Bharat sleeper train cannot be operated during peak hours, else it will severely affect the operation of local trains,” an official said.

Udyan Express, the most popular train on the Mumbai-Bengaluru route, departs from CSMT at 7.55am.

Vande Bharat sleeper is a semi-high-speed train designed by the Integral Coach Factory. Sources in the railways said that they are exploring the possibility of operating Vande Bharat sleeper trains on the Mumbai-Delhi and the Ahmedabad-Delhi routes on the Western Railway as well.