The Ministry of Railways has launched a new bi-weekly direct express service connecting Bengaluru and Mumbai, marking a significant boost to rail connectivity between Karnataka and Maharashtra. Union Railway Minister
Ashwini Vaishnaw virtually flagged off the inaugural service on Sunday, while Union Minister of State for Railways V Somanna and Bengaluru Central MP PC Mohan attended the launch event in Bengaluru.
The newly introduced service is only the second direct train connecting Bengaluru and Mumbai, apart from the long-running Udyan Express, which began operations nearly 30 years ago, as reported by The Times Of India. Railway officials said the new train is expected to reduce travel difficulties on one of the country’s busiest passenger corridors andimprove connectivity for travellers heading to Bengaluru, the Hubballi-Dharwad belt, Belagavi, Pune and Mumbai.
Authorities also revealed that a faster overnight Vande Bharat sleeper train on the same route is expected to begin operations in the near future.
Train Number, Route And Distance Covered
According to a report in The Indian Express, the new Bengaluru-Mumbai-Bengaluru service will operate as Train Nos 16553 and 16554. For the inaugural run, the special one-way service operated as Train No 06557 between Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal Bengaluru and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus.
The express train will cover a distance of approximately 1,210 km in 24 hours and 5 minutes.
Regular operations from Bengaluru are scheduled to begin on May 23, while return services from Mumbai will commence from May 24.
Stations Where The Train Will Halt
The SMVT Bengaluru-Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express will stop at 15 stations during its journey. These include:
- Tumakuru
- Davangere
- Hubballi
- Dharwad
- Belagavi
- Miraj
- Sangli
- Karad
- Satara
- Lonand
- Pune
- Lonavala
- Karjat
- Kalyan
- Thane
Coach Composition And Service Frequency
The train will operate as a bi-weekly service using 17 LHB coaches.
The rake composition includes:
- One AC 2-Tier coach
- Four AC 3-Tier coaches
- Six Sleeper Class coaches
- Four General Second Class coaches
- One Second Class luggage-cum-brake van with Divyangjan-friendly compartment
- One luggage-cum-generator car-cum-brake van
The train will be operated and maintained by the South Western Railway zone.
Bengaluru-Mumbai Express Timings
Train No 16553 SMVT Bengaluru-Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express will depart from SMVT Bengaluru at 8:35 pm every Tuesday and Saturday and reach Lokmanya Tilak Terminus at 8:40 pm the following day.
| Service Type | Coaches | Stoppages | Railway Zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bi-Weekly Express | 17 Coaches | 15 Stops | South Western Railway |
Train No 16553 – SMVT Bengaluru To Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (Tuesday & Saturday)
| Station | Arrival | Departure |
|---|---|---|
| SMVT Bengaluru | — | 20:35 |
| Tumakuru | 22:13 | 22:15 |
| Davangere | 01:23 | 01:25 |
| SSS Hubballi Junction | 03:30 | 03:40 |
| Dharwad | 04:03 | 04:05 |
| Belagavi | 04:45 | 04:50 |
| Miraj Junction | 10:45 | 10:50 |
| Sangli | 11:02 | 11:05 |
| Karad | 12:02 | 12:05 |
| Satara | 13:07 | 13:10 |
| Lonand | 14:17 | 14:20 |
| Pune | 16:50 | 16:55 |
| Lonavala | 17:51 | 17:55 |
| Karjat | 18:37 | 18:40 |
| Kalyan | 19:27 | 19:30 |
| Thane | 19:52 | 19:55 |
| Lokmanya Tilak Terminus | 20:40 | — |
In the return direction, Train No 16554 Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-SMVT Bengaluru Express will depart Mumbai at 11:15 pm every Sunday and Wednesday and arrive at SMVT Bengaluru at 10:30 pm on Monday and Thursday respectively.
Train No 16554 – Lokmanya Tilak Terminus To SMVT Bengaluru (Sunday & Wednesday)
| Station | Arrival | Departure |
|---|---|---|
| Lokmanya Tilak Terminus | — | 23:15 |
| Thane | 23:27 | 23:30 |
| Kalyan | 00:02 | 00:05 |
| Karjat | 00:55 | 01:00 |
| Lonavala | 01:52 | 01:55 |
| Pune | 03:00 | 03:05 |
| Lonand | 04:43 | 04:45 |
| Satara | 05:57 | 06:00 |
| Karad | 06:52 | 06:55 |
| Sangli | 08:22 | 08:25 |
| Miraj Junction | 09:25 | 09:30 |
| Belagavi | 11:50 | 11:55 |
| Dharwad | 13:53 | 13:55 |
| SSS Hubballi Junction | 14:30 | 14:40 |
| Davangere | 16:20 | 16:22 |
| Tumakuru | 20:05 | 20:05 |
| SMVT Bengaluru | 22:30 | — |
For the inaugural special run on May 17, the train departed SMVT Bengaluru at 10 am and reached Lokmanya Tilak Terminus at 10:30 am the next day.
Ticket Prices For Different Classes
The ticket fare between SMVT Bengaluru and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus has been fixed at:
- Rs 750 for Sleeper Class
- Rs 1,880 for AC 3-Tier
- Rs 2,575 for AC 2-Tier
Karnataka’s Railway Infrastructure Continues To Expand
Addressing the gathering, V Somanna, MoS, Ministry of Railways, said the new service would provide major relief to passengers and contribute to Karnataka’s economic and infrastructure growth. He noted that Karnataka currently operates 12 pairs of Vande Bharat trains covering 14 districts across the state.
The minister also announced that a dedicated Vande Bharat Sleeper maintenance depot would be developed at Thanisandra at an estimated cost of Rs 270 crore. In addition, a chair car maintenance facility would be established at SMVT Bengaluru with an investment of Rs 52.73 crore.
Service To Benefit Business And Tourism Sectors
According to the South Western Railway (SWR), the new train service is expected to support passengers travelling for business, employment, education and tourism purposes.
Dr Manjunath Kanamadi, Chief Public Relations Officer of SWR, stated that the service would improve connectivity between several important commercial and cultural centres located along the route.
