A new Vande Bharat Express linking Bengaluru, coastal Karnataka and Goa is about to start running. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will flag off the Bengaluru–Mangaluru–Madgaon service on Friday, 13 November 2026, from Bengaluru and Mangaluru Junction at the same time, according to The Hindu. Regular services begin two days later. Here is what travellers need to know, based on reports in The Indian Express and The Hindu.
When does it start?
The flag-off is on Friday 13 November. Two inaugural special trains will run that day. Train 06512 leaves SMVT Bengaluru at 1:30 pm and reaches Madgaon at 2:55 am the next day. Train 06213 leaves Mangaluru Junction at 1:30 pm and reaches SMVT Bengaluru at 9:00 pm the same day. Both will use 16-car Vande Bharat rakes with Executive Chair and Chair Car coaches.
Regular, commercial services start on Sunday 15 November from both ends. The Hindu reports that the Railway Board has arranged two brand-new 16-car rakes in orange livery for the inauguration and for regular running.
Train numbers and days
On regular days the train runs as 26655 from Yesvantpur to Madgaon and as 26656 from Madgaon to Yesvantpur. Train 26655 operates six days a week, except Wednesdays. Train 26656 also operates six days a week, except Thursdays. The service is run and maintained by South Western Railway.
Which stations does it stop at?
Reports list stops at Shravanabelagola, Hassan, Sakleshpur, Subrahmanya Road, Kabakaputtur, Mangaluru Junction, Udupi, Kundapura, Byndoor, Murdeshwar, Gokarna Road and Karwar before Madgaon. The two articles do not give exactly the same list, since the inaugural special also stops at Mookambika Road Byndoor and Gokarna Road, so check the final timetable on the IRCTC site or the National Train Enquiry System before you travel.
How much will it cost?
According to The Indian Express, the fare between Yesvantpur and Madgaon is Rs 2,200 in AC Chair Car and Rs 3,865 in Executive Chair Car. Fares for intermediate stations are listed station by station in the booking system. The journey takes 13 hours and 20 minutes.
How do I book?
Tickets can be booked online on the IRCTC website or through the Rail Connect and RailOne apps. Offline, passengers can use the Passenger Reservation System counters at railway stations. For online booking you need an IRCTC account; choose your from and to stations, the date and the class, search, select the Vande Bharat from the list, enter passenger details and pay. The total shown includes GST and the convenience fee.
What changes for existing travellers?
The current Madgaon–Mangaluru Central–Madgaon Vande Bharat Express, numbered 20645 and 20646, will be discontinued from 15 November in both directions, South Western Railway's chief public relations officer Dr Manjunath Kanamadi said, as quoted by The Indian Express. If you have booked on that train for a date after 14 November, expect a change and check your booking.
Why it matters
The new train adds a semi-high-speed link between Bengaluru and the coast. Many people travel on this route for work, pilgrimage and holidays, and a day train that reaches Goa in the early hours of the next morning, or Mangaluru in the evening, gives them another option beyond overnight buses and conventional trains. It also connects the Western Ghats section with Udupi, Murdeshwar and Karwar.
What next
After the flag-off on 13 November, watch for the first week's occupancy and any change to the stoppage list. Regular passengers should look at the timetable for their own station, because the inaugural special timings are not the same as the regular ones.
