📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Narendra Modi
Travel
PM Modi flags off Bengaluru‑Goa Vande Bharat Express, new high‑speed service begins
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 14 Nov 2026, 09:31 AM
👁 10
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Bengaluru‑Goa Vande Bharat Express on Thursday, marking the start of regular high‑speed rail service between Karnataka and Goa.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially flagged off the Bengaluru‑Goa Vande Bharat Express at a ceremony in Bengaluru, attended by senior railway officials and state dignitaries. The train, part of Indian Railways' next‑generation Vande Bharat series, is equipped with modern amenities and a semi‑high‑speed capability of up to 160 km/h.
The new service will run twice daily between Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal in Bengaluru and Madgaon in Goa, covering the 560‑kilometre stretch in approximately 8 hours, cutting travel time by several hours compared with existing options. Seats are available in both Executive and Chair‑Car classes, with onboard Wi‑Fi and infotainment.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted that the launch underscores the government's push to expand premium rail connectivity across the country. The Bengaluru‑Goa Vande Bharat is expected to boost tourism and business links between the tech hub of Karnataka and the coastal state of Goa, with plans to introduce more such services on other high‑traffic corridors.
The new service will run twice daily between Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal in Bengaluru and Madgaon in Goa, covering the 560‑kilometre stretch in approximately 8 hours, cutting travel time by several hours compared with existing options. Seats are available in both Executive and Chair‑Car classes, with onboard Wi‑Fi and infotainment.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted that the launch underscores the government's push to expand premium rail connectivity across the country. The Bengaluru‑Goa Vande Bharat is expected to boost tourism and business links between the tech hub of Karnataka and the coastal state of Goa, with plans to introduce more such services on other high‑traffic corridors.