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Bengaluru–Mangaluru Vande Bharat trial run from June 1; journey time may drop to 5 hours

  •   Sat, May 30 2026 07:13:52 PM

Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, May 30: The long-awaited Bengaluru–Mangaluru Vande Bharat Express is set to enter its crucial trial phase from June 1, moving a step closer to cutting travel time between the state capital and coastal Karnataka to around five hours.

According to South Western Railway officials, high-speed trial operations will be carried out by a team from the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO). The testing will include load trials and technical assessments over a period of about one week, after which final clearance is expected for commercial operations.

The proposed service is expected to slash the current 8–10 hour road journey via the Shiradi Ghat route to nearly five hours by rail, significantly improving connectivity between Bengaluru and the coast.

The development follows union minister of state for railways V Somanna’s statement during his visit to Mangaluru on May 23, where he said, “We will operate Vande Bharat in June.” Mysuru Division DRM Mudit Mittal has also confirmed that preparatory works and technical checks are in their final stage.

The Sakleshpura–Subrahmanya Road Ghat section remains the most complex stretch on the route. The 55-km corridor features 57 tunnels, 258 bridges and 108 sharp curves, with a steep gradient of 1:50, making it one of the most challenging railway alignments in India.

Railway authorities have already completed electrification works in this section at a cost of around Rs 93.55 crore. Officials said a trial run of an empty electric rake has already been successfully conducted on the route.

The wider Mysuru–Hassan–Mangaluru electrification project, spanning nearly 400 km, has cost an estimated Rs 729.28 crore, up from the original estimate of Rs 461 crore. The route has been fitted with modern overhead electrification systems capable of supporting speeds of up to 120 kmph.

Once operational, the Vande Bharat Express is expected to transform travel between Bengaluru and coastal Karnataka, reducing dependence on long-distance road travel through the Shiradi Ghat and boosting tourism in regions such as Udupi, Karwar and Mangaluru.

Officials also indicated that an extension up to Goa’s Madgaon is under consideration, subject to operational feasibility.

If the trials are successful, the service will mark a major milestone in Karnataka’s rail infrastructure, offering a faster, greener and more efficient link between the state capital and the coast.
  

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Comment on this article

  • Stalin, Mangalore

    Sun, May 31 2026

    It's realistic not possible to reduce the time to 5hours. Considering the challenging stretch and bottlenecks in Sakleshpur -subramanya ghat. Be realistic don't give false narrative the travel time will reduce to 5hours be practical. 1.The 30 kmph Ghat Speed CapThe 55-kilometre stretch across the Western Ghats features a steep gradient, 57 tunnels, 258 bridges, and 108 sharp curves. Because of these immense safety hazards, South Western Railway enforces a strict maximum speed limit of 30 kmph across this section. Navigating this 55-km bottleneck alone guarantees at least 1.5 to 2 hours of slow travel, regardless of how fast the train can run elsewhere. To practically build a high-speed, bullet-train style rail system between Bengaluru and Mangaluru that mirrors the engineering marvels of China (CRH), Japan (Shinkansen), and South Korea (KTX), Indian Railways must abandon traditional track-sharing. Because the Western Ghats present some of the toughest terrain in the world, the only way to achieve a 3-to-4-hour travel time is to build a completely new, dedicated, high-speed corridor from scratch. ------------------------------ ## The Practical Solution: A Dedicated High-Speed Rail Corridor * Standard Gauge, Dedicated Tracks (No Freight/Local Sharing): * Like Japan's Shinkansen, the line must be a dedicated Standard Gauge (1435mm) double track completely separated from the existing Indian Broad Gauge network. * This eliminates delays from slow-moving freight trains and local commuter traffic entirely. * It allows trains to maintain a constant, uninterrupted cruising speed of 250 to 320 kmph on the plains. * An Extensively Viaduct-Based Route (Elevated Flat Tracks): * Following the Chinese high-speed railway blueprint, up to 70–80% of the route over the plains (Bengaluru to Hassan) should be built on elevated concrete viaducts. * Elevated tracks ensure a perfectly straight line, completely bypass land acquisition bottlenecks, eliminate level crossings.

    DisAgree [6] Agree [21] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ronald Gomes, Stockholm, Sweden.

    Sat, May 30 2026

    A historic milestone for Karnataka! Compliments to Indian Railways and South Western Railway as the highly anticipated Bengaluru–Mangaluru Vande Bharat Express begins its official trial runs on June 1st! Successfully electrifying the rugged Western Ghats section and potentially cutting travel times down to 5 hours is an outstanding achievement. This is incredible news for everyone traveling between Silicon City and the beautiful coast of Mangalore. A big salute to the engineers, technicians, and railway authorities who worked tirelessly to make this dream a reality. The entire commuter community is deeply grateful for this modern, high-speed upgrade!

    DisAgree [7] Agree [27] Reply Report Abuse


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