The long-awaited Bengaluru-Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express is set to begin operations on July 31, according to a report by The Hindu. This triweekly special train will significantly reduce travel time between the two cities. The eight-coach semi-high-speed train will depart from Ernakulam Junction (ERS) at 12:50 p.m. and arrive at Bengaluru Cantonment station at 10:00 p.m. The service from Ernakulam will be available every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.
Conversely, from Bengaluru Cantonment, the train will depart at 5:30 a.m. and reach Ernakulam by 2:20 p.m. This service will operate every Thursday, Saturday, and Monday. The train will make stops at Thrissur, Palakkad, Podanur, Tirupur, Erode, and Salem between Ernakulam and Bengaluru Cantonment.
The launch of this Vande Bharat Express has faced delays, initially scheduled to commence during the last Deepavali but postponed due to various reasons. The new service is expected to benefit frequent travelers between the Thrissur and Ernakulam regions and Bengaluru, which is roughly 500 kilometers away. Students, businesspeople, and government officials are among those who will gain from this service.
With this addition, Bengaluru will have Vande Bharat Express trains to Mysuru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Dharwad, and Coimbatore, enhancing connectivity and offering more travel options for commuters.