Bhubaneswar: In a significant step toward improving inter-state rail connectivity in southern India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday flagged off the Ernakulam–KSR Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express, the first inter-state semi-high-speed train service linking Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, the Southern Railway announced.
Officials said the new service is expected to strengthen business, educational, and tourism ties among the three southern states. The eight-coach train will operate via Thrissur, Palakkad, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, and Krishnarajapuram before reaching Bengaluru’s KSR terminal.
According to a press release from Southern Railway, “The KSR Bengaluru–Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express will provide seamless connectivity between Ernakulam, Kerala’s commercial hub, and Bengaluru, the region’s key cosmopolitan centre.”
Currently, the existing intercity express between the two cities takes over 11 hours to cover the 583-kilometre route. With the introduction of Vande Bharat, travel time will reduce to 8 hours and 40 minutes, making it the fastest connection between Ernakulam and Bengaluru.
This marks the third Vande Bharat train originating from Kerala, underscoring the government’s continued push for modern, high-speed rail infrastructure across India’s southern corridor.
-OdishaAge
