Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper planned for launch on 1 November

Passengers travelling between India's technology capital and its financial centre are set for a much faster rail link, with Indian Railways planning to roll out a Vande Bharat Sleeper service between Bengaluru and Mumbai around 1 November 2026.

The service is planned to launch on Karnataka Rajyotsava, providing a modern alternative to long road journeys and existing overnight rail corridors. Running six days a week, the proposed train is scheduled to cover the roughly 1,118-kilometre distance in approximately 16 hours, cutting travel time by about six hours compared with conventional services like the Udyan Express.

Bengaluru to Mumbai timings and schedule

Under the proposed operating timetable, the train departing from Bengaluru will leave Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT) in the evening and reach Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in Mumbai before noon the following day. The return leg follows an identical schedule pattern.

Route and key intermediate stoppages

Railway authorities have identified the corridor via Kalaburagi for the service because the alignment features fewer sharp curves, making it far better suited to sustained higher speeds. Along with offering direct end-to-end connectivity, the service will provide direct access to Mumbai and Bengaluru for key industrial and commercial hubs along the route.

The planned intermediate stoppages between Bengaluru and Mumbai include:

• Anantapur
• Guntakal
• Raichur
• Kalaburagi
• Solapur
• Pune
• Kalyan

Travel time comparison

The launch will significantly speed up rail travel between Karnataka and Maharashtra. Conventional options on the corridor take close to a full day, meaning the new overnight schedule will appeal directly to business travellers and families looking to bypass airport transit time.

Coach composition and safety features

The planned service is set to operate as a 16-coach rake configured across three passenger classes: AC First Class, AC two-tier, and AC three-tier, providing a total carrying capacity of around 823 berths.

Manufactured to modern crashworthy coach standards, the trainset will incorporate the indigenous Kavach automatic train protection system alongside central fire detection equipment and CCTV monitoring throughout the rake. Passenger compartments will feature automatic sliding doors, USB charging points at individual berths, emergency talk-back units connected to the train crew, and re-engineered modular lavatory units.