In a major boost to rail connectivity along the Western Ghats and coastal corridor, South Western Railway (SWR) has decided to introduce a new Vande Bharat Express service connecting Bengaluru and Goa. According to the information shared, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the Bengaluru-Mangaluru-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express during his upcoming visit to Karnataka on November 13–14, 2026. Following two inaugural special runs on Friday, November 13, 2026, regular commercial operations will commence on Sunday, November 15, 2026. The train will run between Yesvantpur Junction in Bengaluru and Madgaon station in Goa.
Bengaluru-Goa Vande Bharat Express key route and connectivity
The total journey time for the Bengaluru-Goa Vande Bharat Express will be around 13 hours.
- Yesvantpur to Madgaon (Train No. 26655) – Approximately 13 hours and 20 minutes
- Madgaon to Yesvantpur (Train No. 26656): Approximately 12 hours and 55 minutes
Bengaluru-Goa Vande Bharat Express Stations and timings
Along its journey to Madgaon, the train will connect several major destinations:
| Bengaluru-Goa Vande Bharat Express | ||
| Station | Train No. 26655 (Arr / Dep) | Train No. 26656 (Arr / Dep) |
| Yesvantpur Junction | Dep: 07:35 | Arr: 21:15 |
| Shravanabelagola | 09:03 / 09:05 | 18:43 / 18:45 |
| Hassan | 09:38 / 09:40 | 18:13 / 18:15 |
| Sakleshpur | 10:20 / 10:22 | 17:30 / 17:32 |
| Subrahmanya Road | 12:40 / 12:42 | 15:28 / 15:30 |
| Kabakaputtur | 13:25 / 13:27 | 14:43 / 14:45 |
| Mangaluru Junction | 15:05 / 15:15 | 13:50 / 14:00 |
| Udupi | 16:20 / 16:22 | 12:18 / 12:20 |
| Kundapura | 16:38 / 16:40 | 11:48 / 11:50 |
| Mookambika Road Byndoor | 17:20 / 17:22 | 11:20 / 11:22 |
| Murdeshwar | 18:00 / 18:02 | 11:00 / 11:02 |
| Gokarna Road | 19:00 / 19:02 | 09:48 / 09:50 |
| Karwar | 19:45 / 19:47 | 09:03 / 09:05 |
| Madgaon | Arr: 20:55 | Dep: 08:20 |
This train is to be discontinued
According to the information shared by South Western Railway, with the introduction of this extended service, the existing Train Nos. 20645/20646 Madgaon–Mangaluru Central–Madgaon Vande Bharat Express will be permanently discontinued in both directions starting November 15, 2026.
Boost to regional infrastructure, tourism
The launch of the Vande Bharat Express aligns with PM Modi’s dedication of the newly electrified 55 km Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya Road Ghat railway section. Passing through one of India’s most challenging railway terrains, the completion of this engineering project means the entire Bengaluru-Mangaluru rail route is now fully electrified.
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