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Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala is set to get its third Vande Bharat Express, providing much-needed relief to passengers traveling the long and often inconvenient journey between Kochi and Bengaluru.
Southern Railway has finalized the schedule for the new semi-high-speed service, marking another milestone in Kerala’s rail connectivity.
As per the released schedule, Kochi-Bengaluru Vande Bharat will depart from Ernakulam at 2.20 pm and reach Bengaluru City at 11 pm.
In return, it will leave Bengaluru at 5.10 am and reach Ernakulam at 1.50 pm.
The official launch date is expected to be announced soon, with indications that the service will launch this month.
The train will have scheduled stoppages at Salem, Erode, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Palakkad and Thrissur and an additional stop at Krishnarajapurm on the return journey.
Covering a distance of 608 kilometers in just nine hours, the service promises to be a faster, more comfortable travel option than existing trains.
The new service consisting of eight coaches including one executive class coach is expected to benefit regular travellers, professionals and festive season travellers.
With this addition, Kerala’s Vande Bharat fleet will increase to three, following the successful operation of Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod and Thiruvananthapuram-Mangaluru services.
Railway officials said the latest route reflects the growing passenger demand for faster inter-state connections, especially to major southern metros like Bengaluru.
The modern, aerodynamic train is equipped with state-of-the-art safety systems, automatic doors, reclining seats and GPS-based passenger information displays.
The service is also expected to boost tourism and business travel between Kerala and Karnataka, enhancing connectivity in two of South India’s most vibrant economic corridors.
Over the past few years, there has been a huge increase in the number of students from Kerala studying in Bengaluru and there are often complaints of lack of fast means of transport. With this new announcement the problem is going to be solved with the new service.
–IANS