Travellers between Bengaluru and Mumbai will soon have another direct rail option besides the heavily crowded Udyaan Express.
The Ministry of Railways has approved a new bi-weekly express service, Train
No16553/16554 SMVT Bengaluru-Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Bi-Weekly Express, following repeated cancellations, schedule changes and increasing demand on the route.
The inaugural journey from Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT) in Byappanahalli is scheduled for May 23, while the first return service from Lokmanya Tilak Terminus in Mumbai will begin the following day, as reported by The Times of India.
Train Schedule And Timings
According to railway officials, the train will depart from SMVT Bengaluru every Tuesday and Saturday at 8:35 pm and is expected to reach Mumbai at 8:40 pm the next day.
The return service from Mumbai will operate every Wednesday and Sunday, departing Lokmanya Tilak Terminus at 11:15 pm and arriving in Bengaluru at 10:30 pm.
Route And Stations Covered
During the journey, the train will halt at several important stations across Karnataka and Maharashtra, including:
- Sampige Road
- Davanagere
- Hubballi
- Dharwad
- Belagavi
- Miraj
- Sangli
- Karad
- Satara
- Lonand
- Pune
- Lonavala
- Karjat
- Kalyan
- Thane
Officials said the service is expected to provide relief to passengers struggling with overcrowding on existing Bengaluru-Mumbai trains, particularly the Udyaan Express.
Faster Connectivity Still Awaited
While the new train is expected to ease passenger pressure on two days each week, railway experts noted that it may not significantly improve travel time between the two cities.
Currently, the journey takes more than 23 hours, prompting continued demand for faster rail connectivity between India’s technology and financial capitals. Officials said the Railway Board is also expected to announce a superfast express service along the same corridor in the near future.
At the same time, the much-anticipated Vande Bharat Express sleeper train, expected to be flagged off in August, is being seen as a major step towards resolving the long-standing connectivity challenges between Bengaluru and Mumbai.
South Western Railway To Run Inaugural Special Service
South Western Railway will operate a special inaugural run of the new service on May 17 ahead of regular operations beginning later in the month.
The railway zone has also confirmed the regularisation of nine special train services. These include short-distance trains connecting Channapatna, Hassan, Bangarpet, Ashokapuram and Talguppa, along with an express train service to Visakhapatnam, which will now become part of the regular timetable.
