The new train, numbered 16553/16554, will run between Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT) Bengaluru and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus in Mumbai. The service is expected to reduce pressure on the overcrowded Udyaan Express, which has long been one of the main trains connecting the two cities.
The first journey from Bengaluru is scheduled for May 23. The return service from Mumbai will begin a day later.
According to railway officials, the train will depart from SMVT Bengaluru every Tuesday and Saturday at 8:35 pm. It is expected to reach Mumbai at 8:40 pm the following day.
On the return route, the train will leave Lokmanya Tilak Terminus every Wednesday and Sunday at 11:15 pm and arrive in Bengaluru at 10:30 pm.
During the journey, the train will stop at several important stations across Karnataka and Maharashtra. These include Sampige Road, Davanagere, Hubballi, Dharwad, Belagavi, Miraj, Sangli, Karad, Satara, Lonand, Pune, Lonavala, Karjat, Kalyan and Thane.
Railway officials said the new service will help passengers who often struggle to get confirmed tickets on existing Bengaluru-Mumbai trains.
However, despite the addition of a new train, travel time between the two cities still remains long. The current rail journey takes more than 23 hours, and many passengers continue to demand faster connectivity between Bengaluru and Mumbai.
Officials have hinted that a superfast express train on the same route could also be announced in the future.
Meanwhile, the upcoming Vande Bharat sleeper train, expected to launch later this year, is being seen as another major improvement for rail travel between India’s technology and financial hubs.
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