Now Reading: Vande Bharat sleeper service to Bengaluru-Mumbai delayed a year
-
01
Vande Bharat sleeper service to Bengaluru-Mumbai delayed a year
Corrected 30 September 2026: announcement date restated from the source.
The Story in Brief
The planned Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat sleeper train remains a non-starter one year after its announcement, with no timeline for service or trial. Deccan Herald reports the 16-coach train will have 11 three-tier AC, four two-tier AC and one first-class AC coach, with a 3AC fare expected around Rs 3,000 including meals.
The delay comes as the Integral Coach Factory has not assigned a production slot for the rakes. The train was announced a year ago, Deccan Herald reports, but no revised deadline has been set. The sleeper variant is intended to serve overnight journeys between the two cities, a key demand for business and leisure travellers.
Update, 30 September 2026: Newindianexpress.com reports that Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced the Madgaon-Mangaluru Vande Bharat Express will be extended to Bengaluru via Subrahmanya Road and Kabaka Puttur, operating as Train Nos. 26655/26656 Yesvantpur-Mangaluru-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express. The decision follows successful trial runs of a 16-coach rake on the route.
Update, 30 September 2026: Times of India adds that Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw wrote to Karnataka MPs Brijesh Chowta and Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri earlier in September 2026 communicating the decision. The extension will make the train the first self-propelled to travel the 55-km ghats section between Sakleshpur and Subrahmanya Road after electrification in late 2025. The commencement date has not been finalised, Times of India reports.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The Deccan Herald reports the Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat sleeper train remains a non-starter a year after its announcement, with no production timeline or trial date set. The article details the planned 16-coach composition, 11 three-tier AC, four two-tier AC and one first-class AC, and an expected 3AC fare around Rs 3,000 including meals. The delay, attributed to the Integral Coach Factory's production schedule, highlights a gap between Railway Ministry announcements and execution. With no revised deadline given, the train's launch depends on the next production cycle allocation.
Corrected 30 September 2026: announcement date restated from the source.
Coverage: 4 sources, 4 neutral
Sources (4): deccanherald.com (neutral report), deccanherald.com (2) (neutral report), newindianexpress.com (neutral report), timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 4 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
Updated: this story now draws on 4 sources.
