Bengaluru is set to get a direct Vande Bharat Express to Goa.
The new train will run between Yesvantpur in Bengaluru and Madgaon in Goa.
The Railway Board approved the service on October 30, 2026.
A senior railway official said the launch is likely on Friday, November 13.
- December 2025Bengaluru-Mangaluru electrification completed; electric locomotive trial held that month
- October 30, 2026Railway Board approved the new Yesvantpur-Madgaon Vande Bharat service
- November 13, 2026Launch likely on Friday, according to a senior railway official
Graphic: News Anek, from the facts in this report
Key points
- A new Vande Bharat Express will link Bengaluru directly with Madgaon in Goa.
- The launch is likely on Friday, November 13.
- The train will run six days a week and stop at 12 stations on the way.
- Passengers can reach several coastal towns without changing trains.
So how will the train run?
The train will be numbered 26655 from Yesvantpur to Madgaon. The return train will be numbered 26656.
It will leave Yesvantpur at 7:35 am. It will reach Madgaon after about 13 hours and 20 minutes.
The train will pass through Hassan and Sakleshpur before entering coastal Karnataka.
Then it will stop at Mangaluru Junction, Udupi, Kundapura, Gokarna Road and Karwar.
The return journey takes about 12 hours and 55 minutes.
It will not run from Yesvantpur on Wednesdays, and not from Madgaon on Thursdays.
Why does this matter for travellers?
The new train offers a daytime connection between Bengaluru and Goa.
It also serves several major towns and tourist places on the Karnataka coast.
Passengers can travel to Mangaluru, Udupi, Gokarna, Karwar and Madgaon without changing trains.
The service follows the completion of electrification work on the Bengaluru-Mangaluru route.
This included a difficult ghat section.
The work was completed in December 2025, and an electric locomotive trial was held that month.
The project also included an overhead electrification system and five switching stations.
This has opened the way for faster electric trains on the route.
What happens to the existing train?
Once the new service starts, the existing Madgaon-Mangaluru Central Vande Bharat service will be discontinued.
Its numbers are 20645 and 20646.
The new train brings Vande Bharat service further inland to Bengaluru. It also keeps a link to the coastal belt.
Explainer
What happened before
- The electrification of the Bengaluru-Mangaluru railway route was completed in December 2025.
- An electric locomotive trial was also conducted later that month.
- The Railway Board approved the new Yesvantpur-Madgaon service on October 30.
Why it matters
Passengers can now travel directly from Bengaluru to Goa and coastal Karnataka without changing trains.
What to watch next
- The service is likely to be launched on Friday, November 13.
- The existing Madgaon-Mangaluru Central Vande Bharat service is set to be discontinued.
