Bengaluru–Kochi Vande Bharat Express timings announced; Service to begin soon

THE Ministry of Railways has officially released the timetable for the upcoming Bengaluru to Kochi Vande Bharat Express, marking a new high-speed connection between Karnataka and Kerala.

With stops at key locations, the Vande Bharat train service between Bengaluru and Ernakulam is set to enhance connectivity and convenience for passengers, especially the Malayali community living in the Karnataka capital.

With stops at key locations, the Vande Bharat train service between Bengaluru and Ernakulam is set to enhance connectivity and convenience for passengers, especially the Malayali community living in the Karnataka capital.

As per a Railway Board notification issued on Friday, train number 26651 KSR Bengaluru-Ernakulam Junction Vande Bharat Express will leave Bengaluru at 5:10 am and arrive at Ernakulam Junction at 1:50 pm, a report by news agency PTI stated.

For the return journey, train number 26652 will depart Ernakulam at 2:20 pm and reach Bengaluru at 11:00 pm. The semi-high-speed train will make scheduled halts at Krishnarajapuram, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Palakkad and Thrissur along the route.

The ministry has directed both the Southern Railway and South Western Railway zones to commence operations “at the earliest,” according to the report. It also mentioned that the inaugural trip could operate as a special service before the regular schedule begins.

This marks the third Vande Bharat Express service in Kerala, following the Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod and Thiruvananthapuram-Mangaluru routes.

The announcement of the new train, which will link Bengaluru with key Kerala cities like Thrissur and Palakkad, was made in early October and had generated significant excitement, particularly among the Malayali community working in Bengaluru’s tech and service sectors, who have long awaited a faster, more comfortable travel option between the two states.

According to Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw's announcement on X, the Vande Bharat Express between Ernakulam and Bengaluru is set to launch by mid-November.