The Railway Board has approved the introduction of a Vande Bharat Sleeper Express between KSR Bengaluru and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Mumbai, with service likely to start this month, according to officials. The service, numbered 27652 from KSR Bengaluru to CSMT and 27651 in the return direction, has been approved based on the minutes of a meeting held on February 16, 2026, as per the Railway Board communication accessed by The Hindu.

The proposed schedule indicates Train 27652 will depart KSR Bengaluru at 10 p.m. and reach CSMT at 1.50 p.m. the following day. In the return direction, Train 27651 will depart CSMT at 10.30 p.m. and arrive at KSR Bengaluru at 2.50 p.m. The train will have stoppages at Anantapur, Guntakal, Raichur, Kalaburagi, Solapur, Pune and Kalyan, in addition to its originating and terminating stations. The service is proposed to operate six days a week, except on Mondays for the Bengaluru-Mumbai direction and Tuesdays for the return journey.

The service will use two Vande Bharat Sleeper trainsets, with Solapur and Pune identified for watering and other terminal-related arrangements. The Railway Board has directed the railway zones concerned to take necessary action for introducing the service at an early convenient date. It has suggested that, if required, the inaugural train could initially be operated as a special service and subsequently integrated into the regular timetable.

The proposed sleeper service would provide an overnight rail connection between Bengaluru and Mumbai, covering major cities and railway hubs across Karnataka and Maharashtra. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had previously indicated that the service was expected to be introduced soon, marking the first Vande Bharat Sleeper for South India.

Nearly six years after India introduced its first Vande Bharat Express in 2019, the country’s first commercial Vande Bharat Sleeper service began operations on January 22, 2026. Operated by the Northeast Frontier Railway, the inaugural service runs between Kamakhya in Guwahati and Howrah, covering around 972 km in approximately 14 hours. The new service is expected to gradually serve as an alternative to conventional premium overnight trains, including the Rajdhani Express, on select corridors.

A 16-coach Vande Bharat Sleeper train comprises 11 Third AC (3AC) coaches, four Second AC (2AC) coaches and one First AC (1AC) coach, providing accommodation for 823 passengers. The train has 611 berths in 3AC, 188 in 2AC and 24 in 1AC. The fully air-conditioned train incorporates modern amenities such as automatic sliding doors, CCTV surveillance, bio-vacuum toilets, sensor-based water taps, individual reading lights, mobile charging points and digital passenger information displays. Onboard catering is also available, with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian meal options.

For enhanced safety, the train is equipped with the indigenous Kavach automatic train protection system, along with emergency talk-back facilities. The driver cabins are fully air-conditioned and feature dedicated washrooms.