Mangaluru Central–Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express

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Mangaluru Central - Thiruvananthapuram Central Vande Bharat Express
Thiruvananthapuram Kasaragod Vande Bharat Express (via Alappuzha) - 1st Rake.jpg
First Saffron-Grey Mini Vande Bharat Express at Thiruvananthapuram Central departing for Kasaragod
Overview
Service type Vande Bharat Express
StatusActive
Locale Karnataka and Kerala
First service25 September 2023 (2023-09-25) (Commercial run)
12 March 2024;18 months ago (12 March 2024) (Extended run)
Current operator(s) Southern Railways (SR)
Route
Termini Mangaluru Central (MAQ)
Thiruvananthapuram Central (TVC)
Stops9
Distance travelled620 km (385 mi)
Average journey time08hrs 40mins
Service frequency6 days a week [a]
Train number(s)20631 / 20632
Line(s) used Shoranur–Mangalore section
Shoranur–Cochin Harbour section
Ernakulam–Kayamkulam coastal line
Kollam–Thiruvananthapuram trunk line
On-board services
Class(es) AC Chair Car, AC Executive Chair Car
Seating arrangements
  • Airline style
  • Rotatable seats
Sleeping arrangementsNo
Auto-rack arrangementsYes
Catering facilitiesOn-board catering
Observation facilitiesLarge windows in all coaches
Entertainment facilities
Baggage facilitiesOverhead racks
Other facilities Kavach
Technical
Rolling stock Vande Bharat 2.0
(Last service: Sept 08 2025)
Vande Bharat 3.0
(First service: Sept 09 2025)
Track gauge Indian gauge
1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge
Electrification 25 kV 50 Hz AC Overhead line
Operating speed72 km/h (45 mph) (Avg.)
Average length415 metres (1,362 ft) (20 coaches)
Track owner(s) Indian Railways
Rake maintenance Mangaluru Central, Palakkad railway division

The 20631/20632 Mangaluru Central - Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express is India's 33rd Vande Bharat Express train, connecting West Karnataka's coastal city Mangaluru with Kerala's south and state capital Thiruvananthapuram. It is the second Vande Bharat Express in Kerala as well as India's first saffron coloured semi-high speed train (replaced with White Blue Vandebharat rake of the pairing train after extension to Mangalore Central).

Contents

History

The first Vande Bharat train in Kerala started its service between Kasaragod and Thiruvananthapuram via Kottayam route in April 2023. [1] With increase in patronage, there has been a strong demand by the passengers to have a second Vande Bharat between Mangalore and Thiruvananthapuram so as to increase the frequency of this route per day to three trains. This vande bharat express is the fastest train between Mangaluru Central to Thiruvananthapuram Central and vice versa.

The initial service of this Vande Bharat Express train from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram Central was inaugurated on 24 September 2023 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi via video conference from New Delhi. [2] The extension of train from Kasaragod to Mangaluru was inaugurated on 12 March 2024 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi via video conference from Ahmedabad. [3] [4] [5]

Overview

This train is operated by Indian Railways, connecting Mangaluru Ctrl, Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Tirur, Shoranur Junction, Thrissur, Ernakulam Junction, Alappuzha, Kollam Junction and Thiruvananthapuram Central. It is the second Vande Bharat Express train allocated to Kerala. It is currently operated with train numbers 20631/20632. [6] [7] [8]

Rakes

It was the thirty-first 2nd Generation and nineteenth Mini Vande Bharat 2.0 Express train which was designed and manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory at Perambur, Chennai under the Make in India Initiative. [9] [10] It is India's first Mini VB 2.0 Express train, running the tracks with the Saffron-Grey livery with 25 more modifications in the rakes. [11] [12] As per reports, a pairing train rake is allocated as there are a few problems in the maintenance of the train as per the current Time Table. [13]

Switch of Rakes

After extension till Mangalore, the maintenance problem has been resolved and the Saffron Grey rakes are swapped and replaced with White Blue Vandebharat rake of the pairing train. In August 2024, the Saffron Grey rake was made to run as temporary special service along Ernakulam - SMVT Bengaluru route. As of September 2024, the first saffron colored Vande Bharat rake is moved to Howrah - Rourkela route and the Mangaluru Central–Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express is running with one and only White Blue 8 car coach.

Coach Augmentation

The 20631/20632 Mangaluru Central - Thiruvananthapuram Central Vande Bharat Express was permanently augmented with 08 more coaches and was running with 16-car Vande Bharat 2.0 trainset W.E.F. 22 May 2025 in order to meet the extra rush and passenger demands. [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] The 16-coach trainset was earlier running as Chennai Egmore–Nagercoil VB Express, which started from the capital city of Tamil Nadu, Chennai and terminated at the Temple City of Nāgas, Nagercoil.

As of September 11, 2025, this express train has been further augmented with 4 additional AC coaches [19] and is currently running with Vande Bharat 3.0 trainset, in order to meet the surge in passenger demand on this popular route. [20] [21] [22] [23] [24]

Service

The 20631/20632 Mangaluru Ctrl - Thiruvananthapuram Ctrl Vande Bharat Express operates six days a week except Wednesdays, covering a distance of 620 km (390 mi) in a travel time of 8 hours with an average speed of 72 km/h (45 mph). The service has 9 intermediate stops. The Maximum Permissible Speed is 110 km/h (68 mph).

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Except Wednesdays

References

  1. ↑ "PM launches Vande Bharat train service between Mangaluru and Thiruvananthapuram". The Hindu. 12 March 2024. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  2. ↑ "Kerala's second Vande Bharat to operate between Kasaragod and TVM via Alappuzha from Sept 24". OnManorama. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  3. ↑ "PM Modi virtually flags off extended Mangaluru-Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express". www.daijiworld.com. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  4. ↑ aishwarya.nair. "Kerala: PM Modi flags off extended Vande Bharat service from Mangaluru to Thiruvananthapuram". Asianet News Network Pvt Ltd. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  5. ↑ Bharathi, Vartha. "PM Modi Inaugurates Mangaluru Central-Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express Train". english.varthabharati.in. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  6. ↑ "Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express". News9live. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  7. ↑ "Extended Vande Bharat flagged off by PM Modi". English.Mathrubhumi. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  8. ↑ "കേരളത്തിന്റെ രണ്ടാം വന്ദേഭാരത്: സമയക്രമമായി, ഞായറാഴ്ച സർവീസ് ആരംഭിച്ചേക്കും". Mathrubhumi. 19 September 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  9. ↑ "Train 18, India's Fastest, Named "Vande Bharat Express": Piyush Goyal". NDTV.com. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  10. ↑ "Kerala's second Vande Bharat: ഇനി വൈകില്ല കേരളത്തിന്റെ രണ്ടാം വന്ദേഭാരത്; റൂട്ടും സമയക്രമവും തയ്യാര്‍". India Today Malayalam (in Malayalam). Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  11. ↑ "Kerala's second Vande Bharat train to start from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram". Global Green News. 22 September 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  12. ↑ "Indias 1st Saffron Coloured Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express Flagged Off". Zee News. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  13. ↑ "കേരളത്തിന് മൂന്നാമത്തെ വന്ദേഭാരത് റേക്ക്; വെള്ളയും നീലയും നിറം".
  14. ↑ "TVM–Mangaluru Vande Bharat begins service with 16 coaches". TVM–Mangaluru Vande Bharat begins service with 16 coaches. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  15. ↑ "Mangaluru–Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express to get more coaches". The Times of India. 8 May 2025. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  16. ↑ "Coaches in Thiruvananthapuram -Mangalore Vande Bharat to be increased to 16 from May 22". The Hindu. 8 May 2025. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  17. ↑ "Thiruvananthapuram-Mangaluru Vande Bharat to be upgraded to 16-car rake". Thiruvananthapuram-Mangaluru Vande Bharat to be upgraded to 16-car rake. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  18. ↑ Bureau, DTNEXT (8 May 2025). "Permanent augmentation of Mangaluru - Thiruvananthapuram - Mangaluru Vande Bharat express train announced". www.dtnext.in. Retrieved 9 May 2025.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  19. ↑ "Four more coaches to be added to Mangaluru-Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express". The Hindu. 4 September 2025. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  20. ↑ "New 20-car Mangaluru-Thiruvananthapuram VB Express begins services". The Hindu. 9 September 2025. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  21. ↑ "Upgraded 20-car Vande Bharat begins service on Thiruvananthapuram-Mangaluru route". The Hindu. 9 September 2025. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  22. ↑ "Southern Railway upgrades Mangaluru–Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat to 20 coaches". @mathrubhumi. 9 September 2025. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  23. ↑ "Two years after launch, Railways upgrades India's 30th Vande Bharat train to 20 coaches – check route". The Indian Express. 6 September 2025. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  24. ↑ "Vande Bharat Express trains in Kerala to get 20 coaches each". The Hindu. 4 September 2025. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 11 September 2025.

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