NEW DELHI: Railways will roll out two Vande Bharat sleeper train services on the Mumbai-Bengaluru and Delhi-Varanasi routes ine next one week as part of efforts to expand its premium overnight rail travel network.
TOI has learnt that two pairs of the premium long-distance trains are scheduled for roll out. While Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper is scheduled for inauguration of October 31 (Sunday), the inaugural run on Delhi-Varanasi route is scheduled for November 1 (next Monday).
At present, Vande Bharat Sleeper service is in regular operation between Guwahati and Kolkata.
The Mumbai-Bengaluru route would connect two major economic centres, catering to business travellers and other passengers travelling between Maharashtra and Karnataka. The Delhi-Varanasi service would link the national capital with one of the country’s key religious and tourist destinations, with the potential to benefit pilgrims and other travellers.
The Mumbai-Bengaluru service is expected to cover the journey in around 15–16 hours, while the Delhi-Varanasi service is planned as an overnight train via Prayagraj and Kanpur.