Daijiworld Media Network- Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Sep 3: The much-demanded Mangaluru Central – Vijayapura Express, which was initially introduced as a special service in 2019, has now been made a regular train from September 1.

The train, renumbered as 17377/17378, will link passengers from North Karnataka to the coastal belt, offering easy access to prominent pilgrimage centres, educational institutions, multi-speciality hospitals, and scenic beaches.

At the same time, it enables coastal residents to visit historic sites such as Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal, besides offering smooth access to Belur and Halebeedu via Hassan. Tourists heading to Dandeli and Hampi too will benefit by alighting at Hubballi and Gadag respectively.

As per schedule, the train will depart from Mangaluru Central at 4:45 pm and reach Vijayapura at 11:15 am the next day. In the return direction, it will leave Vijayapura at 3 pm and reach Mangaluru Central at 9:50 am after covering 843 km. The train will run through Mangaluru – Puttur – Subrahmanya Road – Hassan – Arasikere – Davanagere – Hubballi – Gadag – Bagalkote – Almatti – Basavana Bagewadi Road.

Meanwhile, passengers on the Goa rail route will face disruptions due to track doubling work between Castle Rock and Londa. The 17333 Miraj – Castle Rock Daily Express will terminate at Londa till October 31, while the 17334 Castle Rock – Miraj Express will originate from Londa instead of Castle Rock until the same date.