Rail passengers travelling between Bengaluru and Mumbai have received a major connectivity boost as the railways introduced a second direct train service between the two cities after nearly 30 years. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw virtually inaugurated the new SMVT Bengaluru–Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express on Sunday.
The launch is expected to provide relief to thousands of passengers who regularly travel between Karnataka and Maharashtra for work, education and business. The new service also comes amid growing demand for more trains and faster travel options on the busy Bengaluru-Mumbai corridor.
During the inauguration ceremony, Vaishnaw revealed that a Vande Bharat Sleeper service connecting Bengaluru and Mumbai is also likely to be introduced in the near future. The proposed sleeper train is expected to improve overnight travel and cut journey time considerably.
Train Timings
The newly launched express train will operate twice every week. Train No. 16553 SMVT Bengaluru–Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express will depart from SMVT Bengaluru at 8:35 pm every Tuesday and Saturday. The train is scheduled to arrive at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus in Mumbai at 8:40 pm the next day.
For the return journey, Train No. 16554 Lokmanya Tilak Terminus–SMVT Bengaluru Express will leave Mumbai at 11:15 pm on Sundays and Wednesdays and reach Bengaluru at 10:30 pm on Mondays and Thursdays.
The complete journey between the two cities will take nearly 24 hours.
Railway officials also announced a special inaugural run on May 17. On that day, the train departed from SMVT Bengaluru at 10 am and reached Mumbai at 10:30 am the following day.
Route and Stoppages
The SMVT Bengaluru–Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express will stop at 15 stations during its journey. Important halts include Davanagere, Hubballi, Dharwad, Belagavi, Miraj, Sangli, Karad, Satara, Pune, Lonavala, Karjat, Kalyan and Thane.
The train is expected to benefit a large number of daily and long-distance travellers, including professionals, students, traders and families travelling between Bengaluru, Mumbai and several towns across Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Regular services from Bengaluru will begin on May 23, while the Mumbai service will start from May 24.
Coach Composition and Frequency
The train will run as a bi-weekly service and will consist of 17 modern LHB coaches. The composition includes one AC 2-Tier coach, four AC 3-Tier coaches, six Sleeper Class coaches, four General Second Class coaches, one luggage-cum-brake van with a compartment for Divyangjan passengers, and one luggage-cum-generator car.
Ticket Fare
The railway authorities have also announced ticket prices for the new service. The Sleeper Class fare between SMVT Bengaluru and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus has been fixed at Rs 750. Passengers travelling in AC 3-Tier will have to pay Rs 1,880, while the AC 2-Tier fare has been set at Rs 2,575.
The introduction of the second direct train is being seen as an important step towards improving rail infrastructure and passenger convenience on one of the country’s busiest inter-city routes.[
