MUMBAI: The proposed Mumbai-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Sleeper train is expected to cover the nearly 1,000km journey in 15 hours and 45 minutes, reducing travel time by around six hours and 20 minutes compared with the existing Udyan Express.The train, which has completed its trial run at speeds of up to 160kmph, is expected to be introduced for passengers after Dussehra, railway sources said.As per tentative timings, the train will depart Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) at 8.10pm and reach Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT), Bengaluru, at 11.55am the following day. In the reverse direction, it is expected to leave Bengaluru at 7.50pm and arrive at CSMT at 11.55am the next day.The timings are yet to be officially confirmed by the railways.The existing Udyan Express departs CSMT at 7.55am and reaches Bengaluru at around 6am the following day, taking approximately 22 hours and five minutes.The proposed Vande Bharat Sleeper will complete the journey in 15 hours and 45 minutes, saving six hours and 20 minutes on the Mumbai-Bengaluru route.The proposed route is via Kalyan, Pune, Solapur, Kalaburagi, Raichur, Guntakal and Anantapur.The service is expected to operate six days a week, with two sleeper Vande Bharat trainsets proposed for the route. These details remain tentative and are subject to official confirmation.Unlike the existing Udyan Express, which departs Mumbai in the morning, the new service is expected to leave late in the evening, allowing passengers to travel overnight.The sleeper configuration is likely to benefit those travelling between the two cities for work, business and tourism, while offering an alternative to air travel.Preparations to introduce the service are in the final stages.Railway officials said the menu was being finalised in consultation with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), with regional cuisines expected to feature on board.The country’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper train was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 17, 2026, on the Howrah-Kamakhya route.It covers the distance between Howrah in West Bengal and Kamakhya in Assam in around 14 hours.
