Yesvantpur-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express gets Railway Board approval

The Railway Board has approved a new Vande Bharat Express between Yesvantpur in Bengaluru and Madgaon in Goa. The train will run via Mangaluru Junction and cover 12 intermediate stations across Karnataka before reaching Goa. It will operate under train numbers 26655 and 26656, with a reported journey time of around 13 hours. The approval also includes discontinuing the existing Madgaon-Mangaluru Central Vande Bharat service.

The proposed service will connect Bengaluru with several destinations along Karnataka’s coastal railway network. It will also use the electrified Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya Road ghat section, which was completed in December 2025. While the Railway Board has approved the service, it has yet to announce the final commercial launch date and ticket fares.

New service to replace existing Madgaon-Mangaluru Vande Bharat

The Railway Board approved the introduction of train numbers 26655 and 26656 between Yesvantpur and Madgaon through a communication dated 30 October 2026. The approval also covers discontinuing the existing Vande Bharat service between Madgaon and Mangaluru Central, which operates under train numbers 20645 and 20646.

The new service will extend the Vande Bharat connection beyond Mangaluru towards Bengaluru. Mangaluru Junction will remain an important stop on the route, while Yesvantpur will serve as the Bengaluru terminal. This will bring Bengaluru and Goa onto the same Vande Bharat route, rather than limiting the existing service to the Madgaon-Mangaluru stretch.

Which stations will the Yesvantpur-Madgaon Vande Bharat cover?

The train will pass through the Hassan-Sakleshpur section before entering coastal Karnataka. Its 12 intermediate stops will be Shravanabelagola, Hassan, Sakleshpur, Subrahmanya Road and Kabaka Puttur. It will then halt at Mangaluru Junction, Udupi and Kundapura before continuing towards Goa.

The remaining stops are Mookambika Road, Byndoor, Murdeshwar, Gokarna Road, and Karwar. The route will connect several coastal towns and pilgrimage destinations with both Bengaluru and Goa. It will also pass through the Western Ghats before joining the Konkan Railway corridor.

What are the timings of the new Vande Bharat Express?

The Yesvantpur–Madgaon Vande Bharat Express will operate in both directions, with different departure times and weekly off days. The reported schedule for both trains is given below:

Train 26655: Yesvantpur to Madgaon 

Train 26655 will depart from Yesvantpur at 7:35 AM and cover 12 intermediate stations before reaching Madgaon at 8:55 PM. Its reported station-wise schedule is as follows:

Reported journey time: 13 hours 20 minutes. Weekly off: Wednesday.

Train 26656: Madgaon to Yesvantpur

Train 26656 will operate on the return route, departing from Madgaon at 8:20 AM and reaching Yesvantpur at 9:15 PM. The reported timings for its intermediate stops are listed below:

Reported journey time: 12 hours 55 minutes. Weekly off: Thursday.

Electrification of Western Ghats section supports the new route

The electrification of the 55 km Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya Road ghat section is an important infrastructure development for the new service. Indian Railways completed the work in December 2025, following a successful electric locomotive trial on 28 December. With this, the entire Bengaluru-Mangaluru rail route became electrified, allowing electric train operations through the Western Ghats.

The section has a steep ruling gradient of 1 in 50 and passes through 57 tunnels, 226 bridges and 108 sharp curves. Electrification work began in December 2023 and requires five switching stations and overhead equipment along the route. The project supports electric train operations connecting Bengaluru with the coastal region.

When will the Yesvantpur-Madgaon Vande Bharat start running?

The Railway Board has approved the service, but Indian Railways has not yet announced its final commercial launch date or fare structure. The train is expected to launch in November 2026, with the third week of the month reported as a possible window. However, the exact date remains unconfirmed.

The proposed operational arrangements include two Vande Bharat trainsets, with maintenance facilities at Yesvantpur and Madgaon and watering facilities at Mangaluru Junction. A trial run of a 16-coach rake has also been reported. Passengers will need to wait for the official railway notification for confirmed booking dates, fares, and other travel details.

Could the new rail link affect coastal Karnataka’s property market?

Mangaluru and Udupi are the two markets most likely to attract real estate attention. Mangaluru has an established rental market, with residential activity in areas such as Bejai, Kadri, Balmatta and Attavar. Better rail access could support demand for visitor accommodation, short-term rentals and hospitality services if passenger and tourism activity increases.

The effect on property demand in smaller coastal towns is less certain. Tourism-led accommodation may see opportunities over time, but a new train service alone is not enough to predict higher housing prices. Local infrastructure, visitor numbers, and existing property demand will remain important factors.