Ernakulam–Bengaluru Vande Bharat Inaugurated; Train to Run Six Days a Week Via Coimbatore
PM Modi inaugurates the Ernakulam–Bengaluru Vande Bharat; Coimbatore celebrates the third addition to its high-speed rail links.
The third Vande Bharat Express connecting Coimbatore received a thunderous welcome at the city’s railway station on November 9, 2025, as the Ernakulam-Bengaluru semi-high-speed train made its inaugural run. Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the service earlier in the day, with Coimbatore Mayor R. Ranganayaki and Salem Divisional Railway Manager Panna Lal flagging it off locally amid celebrations by BJP workers, passenger associations, and railway officials who distributed sweets to travellers.
Running six days a week (except Wednesdays), Train No. 20641/20642 departs Bengaluru at 5:10 am and reaches Ernakulam at 1:50 pm, returning from Ernakulam at 2:20 pm to arrive in Bengaluru at 11:00 pm. The 8-hour-40-minute journey includes stops at Thrissur, Palakkad, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, and Salem, cutting Coimbatore-Bengaluru travel time to just 5 hours 30 minutes via the faster Salem-Tirupathur route at speeds up to 110 kmph—compared to the existing Coimbatore-Bengaluru Vande Bharat’s 6 hours 25 minutes on the slower Dharmapuri line.
DRM Panna Lal explained that infrastructure upgrades will eventually allow higher speeds on alternative routes, with new services under consideration based on passenger demand and track capacity. Ticket booking for regular operations is expected to open Monday or Tuesday. The train marks Coimbatore’s third Vande Bharat link after existing services to Chennai and Bengaluru, boosting connectivity for IT professionals, businessmen, and travellers across Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
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As India’s indigenous semi-high-speed fleet expands, the new saffron-grey rake symbolises both technological self-reliance and enhanced regional integration, delivering faster, safer, and more comfortable travel for thousands daily while reinforcing Coimbatore’s position as a key rail hub in southern India.
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