The long-awaited Ernakulam–Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express is set to be flagged off on November 8, marking a major milestone for South India’s rail network.
The high-speed train will cut travel time between the two cities by over two hours, completing the journey in 8 hours and 40 minutes, and connecting key IT, commercial, and educational hubs across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the service through videoconferencing from Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency, where the main event will take place.
(Also Read: PM Modi to flag off four new Vande Bharat express trains on Nov 8: Check route, timings)
Alongside the Ernakulam–Bengaluru route, the Prime Minister will also flag off three other Vande Bharat Express trains — Banaras–Khajuraho, Lucknow–Saharanpur, and Firozpur–Delhi, as part of a major national expansion of the semi-high-speed network, news agency PTI reported.
The new train, operating between Ernakulam Junction and KSR Bengaluru, will be the first inter-state Vande Bharat for Kerala, linking it directly with Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. With this, 12 pairs of Vande Bharat Expresses will now operate under the Southern Railway.
Route details
The KSR Bengaluru–Ernakulam Vande Bharat will stop at major cities along the route including Thrissur, Palakkad, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, and Salem, catering to professionals, students, and tourists alike.
The inauguration ceremony will be live-streamed at stations across Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, and Salem, where passengers, students, elected representatives, and dignitaries are expected to participate.
According to a Railway Board notification issued on Friday, train number 26651 KSR Bengaluru–Ernakulam Junction Vande Bharat Express will leave Bengaluru at 5.10 am and reach Ernakulam Junction at 1.50 pm, reported PTI.
The return service, 26652 Ernakulam Junction–KSR Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express, will depart Ernakulam at 2.20 pm and arrive in Bengaluru at 11 pm.
(With PTI inputs)
(Also Read: Vande Bharat Sleeper Trains delayed? Indian Railways flags furnishing issues)
About the Author
