The Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper was running waiting lists within hours of bookings opening on Saturday, The Indian Express reported, a day before Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is due to flag it off.
Bookings opened at 8 am. As of 1:49 pm, the paper reported, train number 27652 from SMVT Bengaluru to CSMT Mumbai was showing these figures on the IRCTC portal:
- First day of operation: waiting list of 2 in Second AC and 3 in First AC
- November 4: waiting list of 5 in Second AC and 6 in First AC
- November 5: waiting list of 52 in Third AC and 37 in Second AC, with First AC showing REGRET
- November 6: waiting list of 101 in Third AC and 60 in Second AC, with First AC showing REGRET
- November 7: waiting list of 44 in Third AC, 16 in Second AC and 7 in First AC
These numbers move through the day, so travellers should check IRCTC directly.
Fares and timings
The 16-coach train has three classes. From Bengaluru, the fare is ₹2,810 to Mumbai in Third AC, ₹3,630 in Second AC and ₹4,450 in First AC, according to the IRCTC fares cited by the paper. To Pune, the fares are ₹2,330, ₹3,010 and ₹3,685.
The train leaves SMVT Bengaluru at 7.45 pm and reaches CSMT Mumbai at 11.55 am the next day. It runs six days a week, except Mondays, and is operated by South Western Railway. It stops at Anantapur, Guntakal, Raichur, Yadgir, Kalaburagi, Solapur, Pune and Kalyan.
Why it matters
The service could cut the rail journey by about six hours. Existing direct trains such as the Udyan Express take around 22 hours over the roughly 1,118 km route, Business Today reported.
The final details are also a little different from what was reported earlier this month. Reports then suggested a 7.50 pm departure and seven stops, Business Today said, and estimated fares of ₹2,600 to ₹4,250, according to Time Out Mumbai.
Those earlier reports also put capacity at 823 berths, with 11 Third AC, four Second AC and one First AC coach. Two trainsets will be used on the route, according to The Indian Express.