Thiruvananthapuram to Bengaluru in 12 hours 30 minutes: Vande Bharat Sleeper trains coming to Kerala

NEW DELHI: The launch of Vande Bharat trains has brought a major change to India’s railway system. Known for their speed and comfort, these trains have quickly become a favourite among passengers. At present, Vande Bharat Express runs on 69 routes across several states, including Kerala. To make short-distance travel even smoother, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently announced plans to introduce 100 MEMU trains and 50 Namo Bharat trains.

Now, Indian Railways is getting ready to launch a new version of Vande Bharat – sleeper trains designed for overnight travel. Construction has already started on nine sleeper train sets, and a trial run of the prototype has been successfully completed. Photos of the train have also been shared, and reports say the first services might start as early as next month.

Though not officially confirmed, Kerala is expected to be among the first states to get these new sleeper services, as it is one of the most profitable routes for Indian Railways. The Thiruvananthapuram–Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram–Mangaluru routes are likely to be chosen.

The biggest benefit of the Vande Bharat sleeper trains will be the shorter travel time. Currently, travellers from southern Kerala rely mainly on two daily trains to reach Bengaluru: the Kanyakumari–Bengaluru Express, which takes up to 18 hours, and the Thiruvananthapuram North–Mysuru Express, which takes over 15 hours.

There is also the Hubballi Weekly Superfast Express, which runs only on Thursdays and takes about 14 hours and 30 minutes.

In comparison, the new Vande Bharat sleeper trains are expected to cover the same distance in just 12 hours and 30 minutes, making the journey faster and more comfortable.

On the Thiruvananthapuram–Mangaluru route, current sleeper trains take around 13 hours, while the regular Vande Bharat Express already completes the trip in 8 hours and 30 minutes. The upcoming sleeper version is expected to take about 8 hours and 40 minutes, with up to 8 stops. However, final decisions about the exact routes and stations will be made by the Union Ministry of Railways.