Indian Railways Plans Direct Mumbai-Mangaluru Vande Bharat Service

Mangaluru: In a move to enhance passenger convenience and optimize train occupancy, Indian Railways is set to introduce a direct Vande Bharat Express between Mumbai and Mangaluru. This initiative will merge the existing Mumbai-Goa and Mangaluru-Goa routes, offering a seamless 12-hour journey between Mumbai and Mangaluru. The decision comes as the Mumbai-Goa Vande Bharat, which initially saw a 90% occupancy rate, has now dropped to 70%, while the Mangaluru-Goa route maintains a similar average. Railway officials believe that the direct service will boost ridership, given the consistently high demand for trains extending to Kerala, which often run at full capacity.

As per the proposed schedule, the Mumbai-Goa Vande Bharat, currently departing Mumbai at 5:25 am and reaching Goa at 1:10 pm, will continue its journey to Mangaluru, arriving by 6:00 pm. Similarly, the Mangaluru-Goa service, which leaves at 8:30 am and reaches Goa at 1:10 pm, will extend to Mumbai, arriving by 9:00 pm. However, operational challenges such as evening platform congestion at Mumbai may require timetable adjustments to ensure smooth departures. Central Railways is evaluating possible modifications to accommodate the new service efficiently while minimizing disruptions to existing long-distance train schedules.