Indian Railways has come up with a plan to introduce an additional Mumbai to Mangaluru Vande Bharat train that will be more efficient and have a larger passenger-carrying capacity. The plan includes consolidating the current Mumbai-Goa and Mangaluru-Goa trains into a single long-distance service. The expansion of this route would allow people to travel from Mumbai to Mangaluru in about 12 hours, giving commuters a more comfortable and faster ride.
Strong Demand For Mumbai To Mangaluru Train Services
As reported by Mathrubhumi, the current Mumbai to Goa Vande Bharat train initially logged a high occupancy of 90% passengers, but this has dropped to about 70% now. Likewise, the Mangaluru to Goa Vande Bharat is among the least used services, with occupancy dropping below 40%.
To address this challenge, Indian Railways had intended to extend the Mangaluru-Goa service to Kozhikode, but the intention was resisted by the political leaders of Karnataka.
As a substitute, the railway administration intended to merge the Mumbai-Goa and Mangaluru-Goa trains into one Mumbai-to-Mangaluru Vande Bharat train, hoping for higher occupancy and better operational efficiency.
Trains operating between Mumbai and Mangaluru, including those going to Kerala, often have 100% occupancy. This high demand has prompted railway authorities to launch a direct Vande Bharat train for this sector.
At present, the Mumbai to Goa Vande Bharat leaves from Mumbai at 5:25 AM and arrives at Goa by 1:10 PM. If this train ran under the new plan, it would proceed further to Mangaluru and arrive by around 6:00 PM. In the same manner, the Mangaluru-Goa Vande Bharat, which leaves from Mangaluru at present at 8:30 AM and arrives at Goa at 1:10 PM, can be extended till Mumbai, arriving at around 9:00 PM.
Also Read: Soon, Rajasthan To Get Two New Vande Bharat Trains, Check Routes & Travel Time
Challenges And Potential Schedule Changes
One of the possible issues is congestion at railway platforms in Mumbai during the evening as several long-distance trains converge at the same time.
Indian Railways can perhaps reschedule to fit in the new Mumbai to Mangaluru Vande Bharat service so that there will be no delay in operations.
If implemented effectively, this new route can potentially increase passenger travel convenience significantly while maximising train utilisation. The initiative represents the focus of Indian Railways towards offering faster and more efficient means of travel for long-distance commuters.
Also Read: When Is The Patna-Delhi Vande Bharat Launching? Everything You Need To Know
What are your thoughts on this new route?
Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons & Canva (For Representation)
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First Published: March 24, 2025 10:48 AM