Rail passengers are excited about Kerala's new Vande Bharat on the Ernakulam-Bengaluru route, as it was a long-standing demand of train passengers. It is to be launched as a special service and it will operate three days a week from Ernakulam Junction (South) Railway Station to Bengaluru Cantonment Station and back. The first service from Ernakulam will commence on July 31, and the special service will run until August 25. The return service will operate from August 1 to 26. Services from Ernakulam will run on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays (06001), and from Bengaluru on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Mondays (06002). The service will depart from Ernakulam at 12:50 pm and arrive in Bengaluru at 10:00 pm. The return service from Bengaluru will start at 5:30 am and reach Ernakulam at 2:20 pm. The train will stop at Thrissur, Palakkad, Pothanur, Tirupur, Erode, and Salem. The rake will consist of eight coaches. The train will undergo maintenance at Ernakulam Junction on Tuesdays.
Vande Bharat schedule
According to Southern Railway authorities, the train is being operated as a special service due to the high demand from passengers. Vande Bharat rakes were brought to Kerala and taken to Karnataka twice in the past. The special service being launched is likely to be made a permanent service eventually. Here's what the schedule is likely to be:
06001 Ernakulam–Bengaluru
Ernakulam (12.50 pm), Thrissur (1.53 pm), Palakkad (3.15 pm), Pothanur (4.13 pm), Tirupur (4.58 pm), Erode (5.45 pm), Salem (6.33 pm), Bengaluru Cantonment (10 pm).
06002 Bengaluru–Ernakulam
Bengaluru Cantonment (5.30 am), Salem (8.58 am), Erode (9.50 am), Tirupur (10.33 am), Pothanur (11.15 am), Palakkad (12.08 pm), Thrissur (1.18 pm), Ernakulam (2.20 pm).
