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New sleeper train Bengaluru Mumbai: Vande Bharat Sleeper launch date, timings, stops and expected fare
South Western Railway wants to run the first Bengaluru–Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper on 1 November, Karnataka Rajyotsava, but nothing is notified yet. Two different timetables are doing the rounds, and the fares being quoted are estimates. Here's what each report says, how much faster it'd be than Udyan Express, and a fare estimator built on the Railway Board's sleeper rates.
TL;DRThe short version
- The date: likely 1 November, not confirmed. South Western Railway has proposed running the inaugural special of the Bengaluru–Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper (27652/27651) on 1 Nov, Karnataka Rajyotsava, and the date for regular services is yet to be notified (TOI and Moneycontrol, 19 Oct). An official told TOI it couldn't start in October because of the model code of conduct for Karnataka's legislative council polls.
- About 16 hours, overnight, six days a week, 7 stops: Anantapur, Guntakal, Raichur, Kalaburagi, Solapur, Pune and Kalyan. That's roughly six hours faster than Udyan Express (Moneycontrol). But the timings differ by report: 10 PM from KSR Bengaluru in the Railway Board plan The Hindu saw on 3 Oct, versus 7:50 PM from SMVT Bengaluru in sources quoted by Moneycontrol on 19 Oct.
- Fare isn't official. Reports put it at ₹2,600–4,250 (TOI) or ₹2,684 in 3AC, ₹3,466 in 2AC and ₹4,250 in First AC (Moneycontrol). Those match the Railway Board's sleeper rate of ₹2.40–3.80 per km before GST; with 5% GST added, I estimate about ₹2,820 / ₹3,640 / ₹4,465.
- Bookings aren't open yet. Once Railways notifies the train, search 27652 (Bengaluru → Mumbai) or 27651 (Mumbai → Bengaluru) on IRCTC: irctc.co.inThe 27652/27651 listing doesn't exist for booking until the train is notified. Vande Bharat Sleeper tickets have no RAC, per the Railway Board.
Key facts
- Train
- 27652 Bengaluru → Mumbai CSMT · 27651 Mumbai CSMT → Bengaluru (The Hindu, TOI)
- Status
- Approved by the Railway Board (The Hindu, 3 Oct). Inaugural special proposed for 1 Nov; regular service date not notified (TOI, 19 Oct)
- Bengaluru end
- KSR Bengaluru in the Railway Board plan (The Hindu); SMVT Byappanahalli per sources quoted by Moneycontrol
- Stops
- Anantapur, Guntakal, Raichur, Kalaburagi, Solapur, Pune, Kalyan (The Hindu; TOI's list omits Pune)
- Runs
- Six days a week: Bengaluru → Mumbai except Monday, Mumbai → Bengaluru except Tuesday (The Hindu)
- Distance and time
- 1,118 km in about 16 hours (TOI, Moneycontrol), vs about 22 hours on Udyan Express (Moneycontrol) or around 24 (TOI)
- Coaches
- 16: 11 AC 3-tier (611 berths), 4 AC 2-tier (188), 1 AC First (24) = 823 berths (Moneycontrol; TOI)
- Fare rule
- Railway Board circular 03/2026: ₹2.40 (3AC), ₹3.10 (2AC), ₹3.80 (1AC) per km, 400 km minimum, GST extra, confirmed tickets only (no RAC)
Short answer: the new sleeper train between Bengaluru and Mumbai is the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express, 27652/27651. South Western Railway has proposed its inaugural run for 1 November, and it'd be the first Vande Bharat Sleeper in South India. It's meant to cover about 1,118 km in roughly 16 hours overnight, six days a week. Railways hasn't notified the timetable or fares, so treat every time and price below as reported or estimated.
Check the timings, your date and the likely fare
The fare here is my estimate, worked out from the Railway Board's published per-km rates. It's not an IRCTC fare and it'll change if the final distance or charges do.
Two timetables: which one to believe
Both are "proposed". Neither has been notified by Railways.
| Railway Board plan (The Hindu, 3 Oct) | Sources quoted by Moneycontrol (19 Oct) | |
|---|---|---|
| Bengaluru station | KSR Bengaluru (Majestic) | SMVT, Byappanahalli |
| 27652 Bengaluru → Mumbai | 10:00 PM → 1:50 PM next day (15 h 50 min) | 7:50 PM → 11:55 AM next day (16 h 05 min) |
| 27651 Mumbai → Bengaluru | 10:30 PM → 2:50 PM next day (16 h 20 min) | 8:10 PM → 11:55 AM next day (15 h 45 min) |
| Timings en route | Dharmavaram 12:50 AM, Wadi 5:05 AM (and 7:25 AM / 11:45 AM on the way back) | not given |
| Days | Bengaluru service except Monday; Mumbai service except Tuesday | six days a week |
Our read: the Moneycontrol version is newer, but it comes from unnamed sources. The Hindu's is older, but it's from a Railway Board document. If you're in east Bengaluru (Whitefield, KR Puram, Indiranagar), SMVT at Byappanahalli is the easier station; if you're in the west or south, KSR is. Don't plan around either until the timetable is notified. The Hindu also reported the Board suggested the inaugural train could run first as a special before joining the regular timetable, which is what TOI's 1 November report describes.
How much faster than today's trains?
The yardstick is Udyan Express, the main daily direct train. Moneycontrol puts it at 1,134 km in about 22 hours (about 52 km/h); TOI says around 24 hours. The Vande Bharat Sleeper would do about 1,118 km in around 16 hours, at roughly 69.5–71 km/h. That's about six hours saved (Moneycontrol), mostly by stopping at 7 stations, not because the train runs flat out. The road trip of about 984 km takes 15–17 hours, Moneycontrol says, so for the first time the train would roughly match driving.
Where it stops: Anantapur, Guntakal, Raichur, Kalaburagi, Solapur, Pune and Kalyan (The Hindu). TOI's list leaves out Pune; Moneycontrol includes it as a "possible" stop. For Pune travellers that matters, so check the notified list. Solapur and Pune have been picked for watering and other terminal work (The Hindu).
The fare: what's reported, and how I estimated it
The Railway Board fixed Vande Bharat Sleeper fares nationally in Commercial Circular 03 of 2026 (9 January). It's a flat per-km rate, before GST:
| Class | Rate per km | Minimum (400 km) | Bengaluru–Mumbai, 1,118 km, before GST | Estimate with 5% GST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AC 3-tier | ₹2.40 | ₹960 | ₹2,684 (matches Moneycontrol) | about ₹2,820 |
| AC 2-tier | ₹3.10 | ₹1,240 | ₹3,466 (matches Moneycontrol) | about ₹3,640 |
| AC First | ₹3.80 | ₹1,520 | ₹4,249 (Moneycontrol: ₹4,250) | about ₹4,465 |
TOI's sources give a range of ₹2,600–4,250. The Indian Express, Business Standard and NDTV all report that GST is extra. I've used 5% because it fits the Howrah–Kamakhya fares including GST that Business Standard published. That's my inference, not a stated rate. Railways calls the sleeper's fare "all inclusive", but neither report says whether meals are included on this route.
For comparison, Moneycontrol lists Udyan Express at about ₹1,475 (3AC), ₹2,100 (2AC) and ₹3,520 (First AC). So 3AC on the Vande Bharat Sleeper would cost roughly ₹1,300 more for about six hours saved. In First AC the gap shrinks to under ₹1,000.
The ticket rules are different too. The Railway Board's circular says only confirmed tickets are issued, with no RAC or partially confirmed tickets, and all berths open from the first day of the advance reservation period. In a March Lok Sabha reply, Railways said waitlisted passengers get confirmed when others cancel. Short hops are charged as at least 400 km, so Pune–Mumbai on this train would cost at least ₹960 + GST in 3AC.
The train itself
It's the 16-coach Vande Bharat Sleeper with 823 berths: 11 AC 3-tier coaches (611 berths), 4 AC 2-tier (188) and one AC First (24) (Moneycontrol; TOI gives the same coach split). Two trainsets will run the service (The Hindu). It's the same type that has run Howrah–Kamakhya since 22 January 2026. The bigger 24-coach version with a pantry car is a separate ICF project, still being designed; here's what changes with that one.
01
Myth The Bengaluru–Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper starts on 1 November, confirmed.
Fact No. TOI says South Western Railway has *proposed* an inaugural special on 1 Nov and the regular service date is yet to be notified. Moneycontrol says Railways hasn't officially announced the launch date, timetable, fares or stops.
02
Myth The fare is ₹2,684 in 3AC.
Fact That's Moneycontrol's indicative figure, and it lines up with the Railway Board's ₹2.40 per km rate before GST. GST is charged separately on Vande Bharat Sleeper fares, so expect a bit more. IRCTC will show the real number when booking opens.
03
Myth You can book now and get a waitlisted or RAC ticket.
Fact Nothing can be booked until the train is notified. When it is, the Railway Board's January circular says Vande Bharat Sleeper has no RAC, and all berths open from the first day of advance reservation.
9 Jan 2026
Railway Board circular 03/2026 sets the Vande Bharat Sleeper fare: ₹2.40/₹3.10/₹3.80 per km, 400 km minimum, no RAC.
22 Jan 2026
India's first Vande Bharat Sleeper, Howrah–Kamakhya, enters service (PIB).
16 Feb 2026
Meeting whose minutes the Railway Board relied on to approve the Bengaluru–Mumbai service (The Hindu).
3 Oct 2026
The Hindu reports the approved plan: 27652/27651, six days a week, KSR Bengaluru 10 PM to CSMT 1:50 PM.
19 Oct 2026
TOI and Moneycontrol report a 1 Nov inaugural run is likely; Moneycontrol's sources give new timings from SMVT.
1 Nov 2026 (proposed)
Inaugural special, Karnataka Rajyotsava. The railway minister is expected to flag it off (TOI, citing SWR sources).
What we don't know yet
Railways hasn't notified the start date, the final timetable (or which Bengaluru station), the stop list, the official fare, or when booking opens. TOI and Moneycontrol both say the model code of conduct for Karnataka's legislative council elections has held up the announcement. We'll update this page, and the estimator, when IRCTC lists 27652/27651.
Trend Monitor
Interest in the Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper has been building all month: Google's 30-day index sat at 23–50 from 11 to 14 October, hit 76 on 15 October, and peaked at 100 on Monday 19 October as TOI and Moneycontrol reported the 1 November launch plan. It was at 83 by Tuesday morning, a partial day. People are searching for it as 'new sleeper train', not by its Vande Bharat name.
- new sleeper train bengaluru mumbai+3,400% (pytrends related to 'mumbai', now 7-d, geo=IN, ~7:30 AM IST 20 Oct)
- mumbai bengaluru train duration reduction+2,400% (same set)
- bengaluru mumbai vande bharat sleeper+190% (same set)
Google Trends, India, rising queries, 30 days