Bengaluru: Two trains may slow down to run 75kmph Vande Bharat

BENGALURU: The railways may slow down two Bengaluru-Chennai trains to facilitate the operation of South India’s first semi-high-speed train Vande Bharat, set to be launched on November 11.
The journey time of the two trains which may increase are: 12640 Brindavan Express (KSR Bengaluru City - MGR Chennai Central) and 22626 KSR Bengaluru City - MGR Chennai Central AC double-decker express.
The departure timing of Brindavan Express from KSR Bengaluru City station is expected to stay the same (2.50pm). However, it may reach Chennai at 9pm instead of the current 8.50pm. Similarly, the double-decker express is likely to leave Bengaluru at the current departure time of 2.30pm but reach Chennai at 8.35pm instead of the present 8.25pm.
Railway officials said they may slow down these trains to accommodate Vande Bharat at Chennai Central.
The Vande Bharat train between Bengaluru and Chennai will run six days a week (except Wednesdays).
Train no. 20607 VB Express MGR Chennai Central-KSR Bengaluru City-Mysuru will leave Chennai at 5.50am, reach at 10.25am in Bengaluru and Mysuru at 12.30pm. On the return journey, train no. 20608 VB Express will leave Mysuru at 1:05pm, arrive in KSR Bengaluru City at 2.55pm and Chennai at 7.35pm.
The semi-high-speed train, which can operate at 160-180kmph speed, is likely to run only at an average of 75-77kmph on the Mysuru-Bengaluru-Chennai route due to speed restrictions and other limitations. This means passengers taking the VB train will reach their destinations only 20-35 minutes faster than Shatabdi Express, running on the same route.
The speed of VB trains are capped at 130kmph though it has topped 180kmph in its trial runs. The average speed of other VB trains are: New Delhi - Varanasi VB (95kmph), New Delhi - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra in Jammu & Kashmir (82kmph), Mumbai Central - Gandhinagar (84kmph) and New Delhi- Amb Andaura in Himachal Pradesh (79kmph).