The Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper has begun commercial operations with full bookings. Its six-hour time saving comes alongside substantially higher fares than competing trains.The fare between Bengaluru and Mumbai is Rs 2,810 for AC 3 Tier, Rs 3,630 for AC 2 Tier and Rs 4,450 for AC 1 Tier.

The Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper, flagged off by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on November 1, is the fastest train on the route but is significantly more expensive than other services, according to news agency Press Trust of India.Commercial operations began from Mumbai on November 2, and the train has received a strong response. All classes are fully booked, with passengers being placed on waiting lists for the next couple of weeks.Officials told PTI that other trains take nearly 22 hours or more to cover the distance of over 1,100 km between Bengaluru and Mumbai.

The Vande Bharat Sleeper completes the journey in 16 hours and 10 minutes, reducing travel time by almost six hours.The fare between Bengaluru and Mumbai is Rs 2,810 for AC 3 Tier, Rs 3,630 for AC 2 Tier and Rs 4,450 for AC 1 Tier. The AC 3 Tier fare is 60 to 96 per cent higher than on other trains operating along the route.

AC 2 Tier and AC 1 Tier fares are higher by 65 to 78 per cent and 20 to 30 per cent, respectively, compared with equivalent coaches on existing trains. The Coimbatore-Mumbai LTT Express, Train No.

11014, is among the fastest services on the route after the Vande Bharat Sleeper. It takes about 21 hours and 55 minutes to reach Mumbai from Bengaluru.

Its fares are Rs 1,435 for AC 3 Tier, Rs 2,045 for AC 2 Tier and Rs 3,425 for AC 1 Tier.The Ajmer Express takes about 22 hours to cover almost the same distance. Its fares are Rs 1,510 for AC 3 Tier, Rs 2,155 for AC 2 Tier and Rs 3,610 for AC 1 Tier.

Even compared with the premium Humsafar Express, the Vande Bharat Sleeper's AC 3 Tier fare is nearly 63 per cent higher. The Humsafar Express charges Rs 1,725 for AC 3 Tier, against Rs 2,810 on the Vande Bharat Sleeper.Officials told PTI that around 22 trains operate between Mumbai and Bengaluru or stations near the two cities.Vaishnaw has previously justified higher fares for various trains in Parliament, saying they are based on the facilities provided and that different services cater to different passenger groups.“The fares of various trains/classes are based on the facilities provided in these trains.

Indian Railways run various types of train services for different types of passenger segments. Evaluation and rationalisation of passenger fares, including those of Vande Bharat trains, is a continuous and ongoing process,” Vaishnaw said in the Lok Sabha in March 2025.After the flag-off ceremony on Sunday, the Railway Ministry said the new Vande Bharat Sleeper Express would establish an important overnight rail link between the two metropolitan centres.“The new service will offer passengers an additional convenient travel option, enabling them to undertake long-distance journeys overnight and reach their destination the following day,” the ministry said.The train will stop at important stations along the route, including Anantapur, Guntakal, Raichur, Yadgir, Wadi, Kalaburagi, Solapur, Pune and Kalyan.

The ministry said this would strengthen connectivity across parts of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra and improve access to important commercial, educational and regional centres.The train will leave SMVT Bengaluru at 7.45 pm and arrive at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai at 11.55 am the next day. On the return journey, it will leave Mumbai at 8.10 pm and reach SMVT Bengaluru at noon the following day.The service will run six days a week.

It will not operate on Mondays from Bengaluru or on Tuesdays from Mumbai.In summary, the Vande Bharat Sleeper offers the fastest journey between Bengaluru and Mumbai, cutting travel time by nearly six hours, but its fares are considerably higher than those of other trains on the route.- Ends