Bengaluru To Nandi Hills Train Service Starts Today: Find Out Electric Train Details, Timings, Fares And More

Great news for Bengaluru residents! Commencing today, December 11, Monday, an electric train service to Nandi Hills, a popular weekend getaway situated approximately 60 km away from the city, is now operational.

The South Western Railway has decided to extend the Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (Memu) trains along the Devanahalli to Chikkaballapur route. These trains include 06593/06594 Yeswantpur-Chikkaballapur-Yeswantpu, 06531/06532 Bengaluru Cantonment-Chikballapur-Cantonment, and 06535/06538 Chikkaballapur-Bengaluru Cantonment-Chikkaballapur, as mentioned in the report.

Presently, halts at Nandi station are made by trains such as 16549/16550 KSR Bengaluru-Kolar-KSR Bengaluru Demu and 06387/06388 KSR Bengaluru-Kolar-Cantonment Diesel Multiple Unit (Demu).

Commenting on this development, Siddharth Raja, a Nandi Hills resident and history enthusiast, mentioned the Bhoganandishwara temple located approximately 1.4 km from Nandi Station. Raja highlighted the need for improved connectivity to the top of Nandi Hills, suggesting that South Western Railway should focus on reducing travel time.

Expressing concerns about the train schedule, college student Manjuu Nair mentioned that the proposed morning Memu train arriving at Nandi halt station by 6:37 am might be too late for those aiming to catch the sunrise at Nandi Hills.

Rail activist Rajkumar Dugar brought attention to the intermediate station of Bettahalsoor, suggesting that trains should make stops here. However, the South Western Railway hasn't arranged stoppages due to a lack of agents willing to work at these stations for the offered salary of Rs 1,500 per month.

Earlier, the SWR had organized a one-day tour package along the historic rail route connecting Bengaluru, Devanahalli, and Chikkaballapur, encompassing visits to Devanahalli Fort, the Adiyogi bust at Chikkaballapur by Isha Foundation, heritage station restoration, and plans for sunrise trains at Nandi Hills, as reported by MoneyControl.

The railway line from Devanahalli to Chikkaballapur, established in 1915, was the nation's first to be developed through public-private partnership during the term of Sir M Visvesvaraya as the Diwan of Mysore. Interestingly, Sir M Visvesvaraya was born in Muddenahalli, Chikkaballapur.