Overview
- The Prime Minister flagged off the new Yesvantpur (Bengaluru)–Madgaon (Goa) Vande Bharat on Friday, and South Western Railway operated two special inaugural services the same day.
- South Western Railway says regular commercial services will begin on November 15 with train numbers 26655/26656 running six days a week and journey times of about 13 hours.
- The service will stop at key stations including Hassan, Sakleshpur, Subrahmanya Road, Mangaluru, Udupi, Kundapura, Mookambika Road Byndoor, Murdeshwar, Gokarna Road and Karwar.
- Each rake will be a 16-coach, all–air‑conditioned Vande Bharat set with features such as European-style seats, sealed gangways, bio‑vacuum toilets, regenerative braking and automatic doors.
- Railway officials and the minister said ghat electrification and technical modifications for steep gradients have been completed, and the route is being upgraded with track doubling and gentler gradients to improve safety and speed while boosting tourism and regional connectivity.