Vande Bharat to Connect Karwar, Gokarna and Murdeshwar with Bengaluru

Karwar: People in Uttara Kannada and the coastal region are set to get improved rail connectivity with Bengaluru as the existing Madgaon to Mangaluru Vande Bharat Express will be extended to Yesvantpur in Bengaluru.

Uttara Kannada MP Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri announced the development, stating that Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has officially informed him about the decision through a letter.

Kageri had submitted a request to the Railway Minister on March 11, 2026, seeking a Vande Bharat Express service between Bengaluru and Madgaon.

Responding to the request, the Railway Ministry has decided to extend the existing Madgaon to Mangaluru Vande Bharat Express to Yesvantpur, with the extended service passing through Murdeshwar, Gokarna Road and Karwar.

With the revised schedule, the service will operate as Train Nos. 26655 and 26656, connecting Yesvantpur, Mangaluru and Madgaon.

The extension is expected to provide faster rail connectivity between Bengaluru and several important destinations in Uttara Kannada and the coastal region. Passengers travelling to Karwar, Gokarna and Murdeshwar are also expected to benefit from the improved connectivity.

The service is particularly expected to benefit tourists and pilgrims travelling to the coastal region, while improved accessibility could also support tourism activities in the area.

Residents of Uttara Kannada and other coastal districts had been demanding a direct Vande Bharat connection between Bengaluru and Madgaon for several years. The extension of the existing service to Bengaluru is therefore being seen as an important development for rail connectivity in the region.

MP Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna for the decision, on behalf of the people of his constituency.