Bengaluru
oi-Madhuri Adnal
The newly announced Bengaluru-Mumbai superfast train via Hubballi will begin operations from May 23, but the nearly 24-hour journey time has triggered criticism as passengers question whether the service truly qualifies as “superfast” despite earlier assurances from Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
The new SMVT Bengaluru-Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) Bi-Weekly Express will start from SMVT Bengaluru on May 23 and from Mumbai’s LTT on May 24.
The Bengaluru-Mumbai superfast train via Hubballi begins May 23, taking nearly 24 hours, which draws criticism regarding its speed despite Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s earlier assurances and SWR’s aim to boost connectivity.
According to the announced schedule, train number 16553 will depart from SMVT Bengaluru at 8.35 pm every Tuesday and Saturday and reach LTT Mumbai at 8.40 pm the following day. In the return direction, train number 16554 will depart from LTT at 11.15 pm every Sunday and Wednesday and arrive at SMVT Bengaluru at 10.30 pm on Mondays and Thursdays respectively.
The train will operate with 17 LHB coaches and halt at several stations including Davangere, Hubballi, Dharwad, Belagavi, Miraj, Sangli, Karad, Satara, Lonand, Pune, Lonavala, Karjat, Kalyan and Thane.
According to South Western Railway, the service is aimed at improving connectivity between Karnataka and Maharashtra while catering to growing travel demand between Bengaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi, Pune and Mumbai.
Before regular operations begin, an inaugural one-way special train – 06557 SMVT Bengaluru-LTT Inaugural Special – will also run on May 17. The train will depart from SMVT Bengaluru at 10 am and reach LTT Mumbai at 10.30 am the next day.
However, the service has already drawn criticism due to its long travel duration. The train will reportedly cover the 1,209-km route in approximately 24 hours at an average speed of nearly 52 kmph, which falls below the speed generally associated with superfast trains.
The development has sparked debate because Ashwini Vaishnaw had earlier announced that Bengaluru would receive a superfast train to Mumbai via Hubballi along with a future Vande Bharat sleeper service.
During his Bengaluru visit on April 25, Vaishnaw had reportedly announced two Mumbai-bound trains for the city – a Vande Bharat sleeper via Kalaburagi and another superfast train via Hubballi equipped with LHB coaches.
Dharwad MP and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi had also stated earlier that the service would initially operate as a superfast train before eventually being upgraded into a Vande Bharat sleeper.
However, passengers and railway activists have questioned the “superfast” tag after the detailed schedule became public.
TP Lokesh from Karnataka Railway Vedike reportedly criticised the service, pointing out that the train connects neither KSR Bengaluru nor Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), which are considered the main railway hubs in both cities.
Meanwhile, SWR Chief Public Relations Officer Manjunath Kanamadi said a Vande Bharat sleeper service between Bengaluru and Mumbai via Hubballi is still likely in the future and discussions regarding the project are currently underway.
