Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Dec 29: The South Western Railway (SWR) is set to implement extensive changes across its network in the New Year, including upgrading select express trains to superfast, revising schedules, and reducing travel times for over a hundred services.

Superfast Trains

Eleven express trains will be converted into superfast services:

• 20675 Belagavi–Mysuru Express (Feb 20)
• 20676 Mysuru–Belagavi Express (Feb 19)
• 20685 Gandhidham–KSR Bengaluru Express (Feb 24)
• 20686 KSR Bengaluru–Gandhidham Express (Feb 21)
• 20690 Shivamogga Town–Yeshwantpur Express (Feb 20)
• 20693 Jodhpur–KSR Bengaluru Express (Feb 26)
• 20694 KSR Bengaluru–Jodhpur Express (Feb 23)
• 12777 Hubballi–Thiruvananthapuram North Express (Jan 1)
• 12778 Thiruvananthapuram North–Hubballi Express (Jan 1)
• 12691 Chennai Central–Shivamogga Town Express (Jan 2)
• 12692 Shivamogga Town–Chennai Central Express (Jan 3)

Changes in days of operation

• From Jan 1, Yeswantpur–Shivamogga Express (16581) will run tri-weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays instead of Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.
• From Jan 3, Yeshwantpur–Hubballi Express (20655) will operate on Saturdays instead of Fridays.

Reduction in travel time

As many as 103 trains have been accelerated, with 33 of them seeing reductions of 30 minutes or more:

• 20693 Jodhpur–KSR Bengaluru: 185 mins faster
• 20685 Gandhidham–KSR Bengaluru: 170 mins
• 16209 Ajmer–Mysuru: 140 mins
• 20676 Mysuru–Belagavi: 125 mins
• 19667 Udaipur–Mysuru: 100 mins
• 20686 KSR Bengaluru–Gandhidham: 90 mins
• 20694 KSR Bengaluru–Jodhpur: 90 mins
• 16210 Mysuru–Ajmer: 80 mins
• 17212 Yeshwantpur–Machilipatnam: 96 mins
• 20655 Yeshwantpur–Hubballi: 60 mins

Other trains with reduced travel times include Rajkot–Coimbatore (16613, 70 mins), Okha–Tuticorin (19568, 50 mins), Arsikere–KSR Bengaluru (56224, 50 mins), Hubballi–Chennai Central (20680/17312 & 22697, 43 mins), Belagavi–KSR Bengaluru (20654, 40 mins), Rameswaram–Hubballi (07356, 40 mins), Mysuru–Sainagar Shirdi (16217, 40 mins), and SMVT Bengaluru–Mysuru (06270, 30 mins).

Revised Train timings

• From Jan 1, 11301 CSMT Mumbai–KSR Bengaluru Udyan Express will arrive earlier at Yelahanka at 3:13 am instead of 3:58 am, with no change at KSR Bengaluru.
• From Jan 3, 11021 Dadar–Tirunelveli will reach Chikkabanavara at 7:13 pm instead of 8:21 pm, and SMVT Bengaluru at 9:10 pm instead of 9:45 pm.
• From Jan 2, 11005 Dadar–Puducherry will arrive Chikkabanavara at 7:13 pm, SMVT Bengaluru at 9:10 pm, KR Puram at 9:33 pm, and Whitefield at 9:45 pm, all earlier than the previous timings.

SWR officials state these changes are designed to enhance operational efficiency, reduce travel times, and improve passenger convenience across the network in the New Year.