PM Modi and Railway Minister to flag off Bengaluru–Mangaluru–Goa Vande Bharat Express on November 13

A 16-car Brand new Vande Bharat rake is kept ready for the November 15 inaugural run of Madgaon-Yeshwantpur VB Express from Mangaluru Junction on November 11, 2026. | Photo Credit: H.S. MANJUNATH

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw are likely to flag off the Yeshwantpur-Mangaluru-Madgaon-Yeshwantpur Vande Bharat Express on November 13 from Bengaluru and Mangaluru Junction simultaneously. Regular services of the VB Express from both the places (Train No. 26655/656) will commence from November 15.

The Railway Board has arranged two brand-new 16-car Vande Bharat rakes in orange livery for the inauguration as well as regular services. The rakes are stabled in Bengaluru and Mangaluru respectively ahead of the flagging off.

Mr. Modi will be in Bengaluru to dedicate the 7.5 km Namma Metro Pink Line between Kalena Agrahara and Tavarekere along the Bannerghatta Road. During this occasion, the Prime Minister would also remotely flag off the Bengaluru-Goa Vande Bharat Express starting from Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal, Bengaluru. Regular services, however, will operate out of Yeshwantpur.

Mr. Vaishnaw will launch the new service from Mangaluru Junction. Both the down and up inaugural specials would run simultaneously towards Madgaon and Bengaluru. The Yeshwantpur-Madgaon inaugural special would reach Mangaluru Junction at 9 pm, Udupi at 9.30 pm and Karwar at 1.22 am before reaching Madgaon at 2.55 am. The Mangaluru-Yeshwantpur inaugural special would reach Yeshwantpur at 9 pm.

The Railway Minister had on September 29 announced that the Ministry would introduce Yeshwantpur-Mangaluru-Madgaon-Yeshwantpur Vande Bharat Express as Train No. 26655/656 by extending the existing Mangaluru Central-Madgaon-Mangaluru Central VB Express (Train No. 20646/645). The Mangaluru Central-Madgaon-Mangaluru Central VB Express would be discontinued from November 15, the Railway Ministry said.

12 halts

The Bengaluru-Madgaon VB Express would have 12 halts, excluding the originating and terminating stations. They are, Shravanabelagola, Hassan, Sakleshpur, Subrahmanya Road, Kabaka Puttur, Mangaluru Junction, Udupi, Kundapura, Byndoor, Murdeshwar, Gokarna Road and Karwar.

While the Yeshwantpur-Madgaon service leaves Yeshwantpur at 7.35 am to reach Madgaon at 8.55 pm except Wednesdays taking 12.20 hours, the Madgaon-Yeshwantpur service departs Madgaon at 8.20 am to reach Yeshwantpur at 9.15 pm except Thursdays taking 13 hours.

Slowest VB in India

The services would have the distinction of being the longest-duration Vande Bharat chair car service among the 82 pairs of such services in India. Not only this, the services would also be the slowest among all VB services in the country, with an average speed of 54 kmph and 53 kmph in the down and up directions, respectively.

Published - November 10, 2026 01:25 pm IST