Earlier, the Railway Board had asked for a report on the commercial and operational feasibility of running the semi-high-speed between the two cities.
Bengaluru: Fourth Vande Bharat Express will pass through Bengaluru by the end of December, connecting it to Coimbatore. Indian Railway has tentatively approved the train that will link KSR Bengaluru with Coimbatore Junction via Salem. The train is likely to have an eight-coach trainset, well-placed sources told Deccan Herald.
Earlier, the Railway Board had asked for a report on the commercial and operational feasibility of running the semi-high-speed between the two cities. Recently, the report was submitted and the Railway Board’s final approval is awaited, they said.
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Expected Timing, Ticket Fare
Sources said the details about fares, stoppages and travel time will become clear only after the Railway Board gives its approval.
The express train currently takes 6 hours and 45 minutes to cover the distance between the two cities. The Vande Bharat could take about five hours.
The Bengaluru-Coimbatore Vande Bharat is likely to be operated by the Southern Railway’s Salem division and it is expected to leave Coimbatore in the morning and reach Bengaluru by noon before making its return journey.
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Right now, there are two railway lines from Bengaluru to Coimbatore — a) Via Hosur and Salem (379 km); and b) Via Kuppam and Salem (420 km). However, it is not clear which route the Bengaluru-Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express would take.
The line via Kuppam and Salem has been doubled and electrified, the one via Hosur and Salem remains largely single and the repairing work is still underway to double the Baiyappanahalli-Carmelaram and Heelalige-Hosur sections.
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Expected Route and Stoppage
KN Krishna Prasad of the Karnataka Railway Vedike tod DH that the Vande Bharat should run via Bangarpet and Kuppam and that there should be stops at KR Puram and Bangarpet.
Once launched, this will be the second Vande Bharat Express between Bengaluru and neighboring Tamil Nadu as there is already one such train that travels between Chennai, Bengaluru and Mysuru. PM Modi in November last year launched this Vande Bharat train, the first such train in south India.
