Bengaluru-Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express Starting Soon: Check Routes, Train Fare & Timings

By the end of December, Bengaluru is set to welcome its fourth Vande Bharat Express, establishing a connection to Coimbatore. Railway authorities have given tentative approval for the train, set to link KSR Bengaluru to Coimbatore Junction via Salem.

It's highly probable that the Vande Bharat Express will consist of an eight-coach train set, according to reports. The Railway Board had requested an assessment regarding the feasibility of commercially and operationally running this semi-high-speed train between the two cities. Sources mention that the report has been recently submitted, awaiting the final nod from the Railway Board.

Information regarding fares, stops, and travel duration will only become apparent upon receiving approval from the Railway Board, as per these sources. Presently, the fastest train takes 6 hours and 45 minutes for the journey between the two cities, while the Vande Bharat is expected to take around five hours.

There exist two railway lines from Bengaluru to Coimbatore: one via Hosur and Salem (379 km) and another via Kuppam and Salem (420 km). It's uncertain which route the Bengaluru-Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express will adopt. Although the line via Kuppam and Salem has been doubled and electrified, the route via Hosur and Salem remains primarily single. Efforts are ongoing to double the Baiyappanahalli-Carmelaram and Heelalige-Hosur sections. Similarly, the Hosur-Salem line remains single.

KN Krishna Prasad, representing the Karnataka Railway Vedike, suggested that the Vande Bharat should run via Bangarpet and Kuppam, advocating for stops at KR Puram, Bangarpet, and Kuppam. Highlighting the advantages of this route, Prasad noted that the line is not only doubled and electrified but also permits trains to reach speeds of up to 130 kmph after Tirupattur. Conversely, taking the Hosur-Salem route would limit the top speed to 80-100 kmph.

The Bengaluru-Coimbatore Vande Bharat is expected to be managed by the Southern Railway's Salem division. It's projected to depart from Coimbatore in the morning, reaching Bengaluru by noon before embarking on its return journey. Primary maintenance is likely to be conducted at Coimbatore.