Vande Bharat Express: Indian Railways is set to reduce travel time between Bengaluru and Chennai with the introduction of the high-speed Vande Bharat Express. The new train will slash the journey time by 25 minutes, reducing it to four hours. The move is part of Indian Railways' efforts to enhance speed and efficiency on this key corridor.
The travel time for Shatabdi Express, currently taking about five hours, will also be reduced by 20 minutes. The Bengaluru division of South Western Railway (SWR) conducted a speed trial on the Bengaluru-Jolarpettai section on December 5, aiming to increase the speed limit from 110 km/h to 130 km/h. Once approved by the commissioner of railway safety, the new speed limit will be implemented.
"The Bengaluru division of SWR will conduct a speed trial on the Bengaluru-Jolarpettai section on December 5 to increase the sectional speed," SWR said in a statement.
Train's speed on Bengaluru-Chennai route
Last year, the Chennai-Jolarpettai route was upgraded to 130 km/h. Following the Bengaluru-Jolarpettai section's clearance, the entire Bengaluru-Chennai route will allow speeds of up to 130 km/h, benefiting two Vande Bharat and two Shatabdi Express trains running daily between the cities.
While Vande Bharat trains reached a peak speed of 183 km/h during trials, their operational speed is capped at 160 km/h due to track constraints. The 360-km Bengaluru-Chennai route, a high-density corridor, connects Bengaluru, a tech and startup hub, with Chennai, a major automobile manufacturing centre, serving critical economic zones, tech parks, and residential areas along the way.
More about Vande Bharat Express
The Vande Bharat Express is a high-performance, electric multiple-unit train operated by Indian Railways. It was designed by RDSO and manufactured by the government-owned Integral Coach Factory (ICF), located in Chennai. It is considered a semi-high-speed train, which is the second fastest train in India.
According to reports, Vande Bharat Express remains the most profitable and lucrative business for Indian railways, with the highest occupancy rate of 130%. It should be mentioned here that Vande Bharat was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019.
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