The upcoming Bengaluru-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express will connect Bengaluru and Goa, covering 670 km in around 12-13 hours. With an average speed of just 53-54 kmph, it will be among the slowest Vande Bharat services in the country, running at speeds comparable to ordinary Mail/Express trains. Read more: Bengaluru-Goa route to get new Vande Bharat Express that will pass through scenic Western Ghats: Check route, stops, timings, timetable and other key details have been capped at 130 kmph for commercial operations due to track conditions, officials said, adding that the trains are unable to hit even this speed limit over most stretches in the network. The officials asserted that the speed of such trains varies depending on the track conditions. Bengaluru-Goa Slower than Express trains? The Bengaluru-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express is set to become the longest-duration and slowest Vande Bharat service in the country. The yet-to-be-launched train will cover 670 km in 12 hours and 20 minutes on its onward journey and 12 hours and 55 minutes on the return, averaging 54 kmph and 53 kmph, respectively. Read more: No more disturbed sleep near train coach gates? Vande Bharat Sleeper has new design feature to tackle this common passenger complaint; watch viral video Live Events At these speeds, the Bengaluru-Goa service will be slower than the Superfast Express category and comparable to ordinary Mail/Express trains, which typically average 50-54 kmph. Indian Railways classifies trains with an average speed of 55 kmph or more as Superfast Express services. However, it is important to note that this train will pass through through the Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya Road ghat section in the Western Ghats and safety restrictions will be in place. What about other Vande Bharat trains? Currently, the Pune-Ajni (Nagpur) Vande Bharat Express (26101/102) holds the record for the longest journey among operational Vande Bharat services, taking 12 hours to cover 882 km at an average speed of 73 kmph. The Varanasi-Meerut Vande Bharat takes nearly 12 hours to cover 783 km, averaging 66 kmph. Several other Vande Bharat services also operate at average speeds of 65-80 kmph. The New Jalpaiguri-Patna Vande Bharat Express (22234) averages around 68 kmph, while the Ranchi-Howrah service (20898/20897) runs at an average speed of approximately 64 kmph. In contrast, the Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat Express remains among the fastest in the country, covering 759 km in eight hours at an average speed of 95 kmph. Why are Vande Bharat trains not able to run at its top speed? Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, had said that the average speed of the train depends upon the geometry of the track, stoppages enroute, maintenance work in the section. The minister added that the upgradation and improvement of railway tracks on Indian Railways to increase the speed potential have been carried out in a big way during the last 10 years. The measures for track upgradation include use of 60 kg rails, wider base concrete sleepers, thick web switches, longer rail panels, H Beam sleepers, modern track renewal and maintenance machines etc. The details of speed potential of railway tracks during 2014 vis a vis 2025 are as under: Sectional Speed (kmph) 2014 2025 Track Km % Track Km % <110 47,897 60.4 22,862 21.6 110-130 26,409 33.3 59,800 56.6 130 & above 5,036 6.3 23,010 21.8 Total 79,342 100 1,05,672 100 An RTI response has revealed that the Vande Bharat Express, despite being designed to run at a maximum speed of 180 kmph, has operated at an average speed of around 83 kmph over the past two years due to track constraints. The RTI, filed by Madhya Pradesh-based Chandra Shekhar Gaur, showed that the train's average speed stood at 84.48 kmph in 2021-22 before declining to 81.38 kmph in 2022-23. Developed by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) and manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, Vande Bharat is an electric multiple-unit train operated by Indian Railways. Although designed for 180 kmph, Vande Bharat trains are permitted to operate at a maximum of 130 kmph commercially due to track conditions. Officials said they struggle to reach even this limit across most sections of the railway network. Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now! (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
Blr-Goa Vande Bharat to run as slow as Mail trains
The upcoming Bengaluru-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express will connect Bengaluru and Goa, covering 670 km in around 12-13 hours. With an average speed of just 53-54 kmph, it will be among the slowest Vande Bharat services in the country, running at speeds comparable to ordinary Mail/Express trains. Read more: Bengaluru-Goa route to get new Vande Bharat Express that will pass through scenic Western Ghats: Check route, stops, timings, timetable and other key details have been capped at 130 kmph for commercial operations due to track conditions, officials said, adding that the trains are unable to hit even this speed limit over most stretches in the network. The officials asserted that the speed of such trains varies depending on the track conditions. Bengaluru-Goa Slower than Express trains? The Bengaluru-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express is set to become the longest-duration and slowest Vande Bharat service in the country. The yet-to-be-launched train will cover 670 km in 12 hours and 20 minutes on its onward journey and 12 hours and 55 minutes on the return, averaging 54 kmph and 53 kmph, respectively. Read more: No more disturbed sleep near train coach gates? Vande Bharat Sleeper has new design feature to tackle this common passenger complaint; watch viral video Live Events At these speeds, the Bengaluru-Goa service will be slower than the Superfast Express category and comparable to ordinary Mail/Express trains, which typically average 50-54 kmph. Indian Railways classifies trains with an average speed of 55 kmph or more as Superfast Express services. However, it is important to note that this train will pass through through the Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya Road ghat section in the Western Ghats and safety restrictions will be in place. What about other Vande Bharat trains? Currently, the Pune-Ajni (Nagpur) Vande Bharat Express (26101/102) holds the record for the longest journey among operational Vande Bharat services, taking 12 hours to cover 882 km at an average speed of 73 kmph. The Varanasi-Meerut Vande Bharat takes nearly 12 hours to cover 783 km, averaging 66 kmph. Several other Vande Bharat services also operate at average speeds of 65-80 kmph. The New Jalpaiguri-Patna Vande Bharat Express (22234) averages around 68 kmph, while the Ranchi-Howrah service (20898/20897) runs at an average speed of approximately 64 kmph. In contrast, the Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat Express remains among the fastest in the country, covering 759 km in eight hours at an average speed of 95 kmph. Why are Vande Bharat trains not able to run at its top speed? Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, had said that the average speed of the train depends upon the geometry of the track, stoppages enroute, maintenance work in the section. The minister added that the upgradation and improvement of railway tracks on Indian Railways to increase the speed potential have been carried out in a big way during the last 10 years. The measures for track upgradation include use of 60 kg rails, wider base concrete sleepers, thick web switches, longer rail panels, H Beam sleepers, modern track renewal and maintenance machines etc. The details of speed potential of railway tracks during 2014 vis a vis 2025 are as under: Sectional Speed (kmph) 2014 2025 Track Km % Track Km % <110 47,897 60.4 22,862 21.6 110-130 26,409 33.3 59,800 56.6 130 & above 5,036 6.3 23,010 21.8 Total 79,342 100 1,05,672 100 An RTI response has revealed that the Vande Bharat Express, despite being designed to run at a maximum speed of 180 kmph, has operated at an average speed of around 83 kmph over the past two years due to track constraints. The RTI, filed by Madhya Pradesh-based Chandra Shekhar Gaur, showed that the train's average speed stood at 84.48 kmph in 2021-22 before declining to 81.38 kmph in 2022-23. Developed by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) and manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, Vande Bharat is an electric multiple-unit train operated by Indian Railways. Although designed for 180 kmph, Vande Bharat trains are permitted to operate at a maximum of 130 kmph commercially due to track conditions. Officials said they struggle to reach even this limit across most sections of the railway network. Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now! (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
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