Mumbai: The Mumbai-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Sleeper Express is expected to be introduced for passengers by Dussehra, railway sources said.The express train, which has completed its trial run at speeds of up to 160 kmph, is expected to cover the nearly 1,000-km journey in 15 hours and 45 minutes, reducing travel time by around six hours and 20 minutes compared with Udyan Express, which takes approximately 22 hours and five minutes on the Mumbai-Bengaluru route.As per tentative timings, the train will depart Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) at 8.10 pm and reach Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT), Bengaluru, at 11.55 am the following day. In the reverse direction, it is expected to leave Bengaluru at 7.50 pm and arrive at CSMT at 11.55 am the next day. The timings are yet to be officially confirmed by the railways.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 Udyan Express, which departs CSMT at 7.55 am, 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 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 Jan 17, 2026, on the Howrah-Kamakhya route. It covers the distance between Howrah in West Bengal and Kamakhya in Assam in around 14 hours.
