The much-awaited Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Express has already received tremendous response even before its launch. Ticket bookings opened on 31st October 2026, but several travel dates were moved to the waiting list very quickly, indicating strong demand for a faster overnight rail link between Karnataka and Maharashtra.
The new semi-high-speed sleeper train will be flagged off by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on November 1 (Karnataka Rajyotsava day). The service would be operated and maintained by South Western Railway (SWR).
The train is expected to be an overnight travel option between Bengaluru and Mumbai (two major business/economic centres).
Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Ticket Demand
The Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Express reservations opened at 8 am on October 31. Booking information reported by the IRCTC portal said tickets for the initial travel dates were booked very quickly and waiting lists appeared across all classes of travel.
For the first day of regular travel, Second AC and First AC tickets were already sold out. At 1:49 pm on October 31, there were two passengers in Second AC and three in First AC on the waiting list (at the time).
The booking situation for subsequent dates was also strong
For Nov 4, there were five waiting in Second AC and six in First AC. For Nov 5 it was a more serious rush with 52 in Third AC and 37 in Second AC waiting. First AC was showing 'REGRET' status (no more bookings).
On November 6, Third AC had 101 passengers on the waiting list and Second AC 60. First AC again showed ‘REGRET’.
Even November 7 was full, with waiting lists in Third AC (44), Second AC (16), and First AC (seven).
These figures show that passengers are keen to try out the new sleeper service, but waiting-list positions may change as cancellations and further updates of bookings occur.
Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper Ticket Prices
There will be a total of 16 coaches in the new train: Third AC, Second AC, and First AC.
The reported full-route fares between Bengaluru and Mumbai are:
- Travel Class
- Ticket Fare
- Third AC
- ₹2,810
- Second AC
- ₹3,630
- First AC
- ₹4,450
The ticket price varies according to the class chosen by the passenger. Travellers can choose a category as per their budget and comfort requirements.
Route, Stops and Travel Time
The Vande Bharat Sleeper Express will connect Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT) in Bengaluru with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in Mumbai.
The regular service will be train numbers 27652 and 27651. It is expected to run the about 1,118 km route in around 16 hours (compared with many existing services on the corridor), so it will be faster than most of them.
The regular route will have eight intermediate stops:
- Anantapur
- Guntakal
- Raichur
- Yadgir
- Kalaburagi
- Solapur
- Pune
- Kalyan
The inaugural special service has additional scheduled halts, so passengers should check the train number and timetable before travelling.
A New Overnight Travel Option for Passengers
The Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper will improve connectivity between the two cities. Unlike daytime Vande Bharat services, the sleeper version is designed for longer overnight journeys, and passengers travel while resting in berths.
The early booking response is strong, which indicates a lot of interest in the new service; waiting lists have already started to form before even the first journey was made. Regular commuters, business travellers and railway enthusiasts are all interested in it.
Passengers planning a journey should check the latest availability, fare details, and timetable on the official IRCTC booking platform before making travel arrangements.
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