The Indian Railways has released fare details for the Ernakulam–KSR Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express, one of the four new trains flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The chair car fare is set at ₹1,095, while executive class tickets cost ₹2,289, excluding reservation fees, catering charges, and GST. Passengers opting for onboard meals will pay a slightly higher fare.
The new service marks Southern Railway’s first inter-state Vande Bharat Express, linking Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. The eight-coach train will stop at Thrissur, Palakkad, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, and Krishnarajapuram before reaching Bengaluru. It will operate six days a week, except Wednesdays, covering the 583-km route in 8 hours and 40 minutes, nearly three hours faster than existing intercity trains.
According to the schedule, train number 26651 will depart Bengaluru at 5:10 am and reach Ernakulam at 1:50 pm, while the return service, train number 26652, will leave Ernakulam at 2:20 pm and arrive in Bengaluru by 11 pm.
Officials say the new train will boost business, tourism, education, and healthcare connectivity between the three states. It also becomes Kerala’s third Vande Bharat, after the Kasaragod–Thiruvananthapuram and Thiruvananthapuram–Mangaluru routes.
Southern Railway highlighted that this is the first Vande Bharat to serve Palakkad, the “Gateway of Kerala.” The train features automatic doors, ergonomic seating, bio-vacuum toilets, Wi-Fi, GPS-based infotainment, and reading lights, offering a premium travel experience.
The inauguration event, attended by passengers, students, and public representatives, was live-streamed across key stations along the route. Railway officials noted that this new link will provide the fastest and most comfortable connectivity between Kerala’s commercial hub and Karnataka’s capital.
With this addition, over 164 Vande Bharat Express trains are now operational across India, further strengthening the country’s semi-high-speed rail network.
