The facility for faster transportation is required for development of commercial activities in both cities
BENGALURU
Within hours of the Ernakulam–KSR Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express being virtually flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi on November 8, tickets for the high-speed train were sold out on the IRCTC portal. The train, numbered 26652, witnessed massive demand with Executive Chair Car seats waitlisted for the next ten days. AC Chair Car tickets for November 11 — the day of the first commercial run — and November 16 were also completely sold out.
Passengers logging into the IRCTC portal late on Friday night were surprised to find that tickets were unavailable within minutes of booking opening. “I tried to book immediately after the launch, but tickets were gone instantly,” said a regular user, adding that tickets beyond December 20 are not yet open as per the 60-day booking limit set by Railways.
Starting November 11, the Vande Bharat will operate six days a week, except Wednesdays. It will depart from KSR Bengaluru at 5:10 am and reach Ernakulam Junction at 1:50 pm. The return journey will start from Ernakulam at 2:20 pm, arriving in Bengaluru at 11 pm, according to Southern Railway’s schedule.
The Chair Car fare is Rs 1,095, while Executive Class seats are priced at Rs 2,289, excluding reservation, supplementary, catering charges, and GST. Fares will be slightly higher on the Ernakulam–Bengaluru leg for passengers opting for onboard catering, as lunch or dinner will be served during the journey.
BOX:
This new service marks the 12th Vande Bharat for Karnataka and the eighth for Bengaluru. It is also the third Vande Bharat for Kerala and the first connecting Kerala with both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, strengthening inter-state connectivity and boosting commercial and tourism activities across the southern region.
