BENGALURU: Passengers commuting between Bengaluru and Mangaluru can look forward to reduced journey timings from February 2018. Following persistent demand from the public, the South Western Railway has finally decided to run trains via the recently opened Shravanabelagola route.
This will reduce travel time between the two cities by 45 or 85 minutes depending on the train taken.
The Nelamangala-Shravanabelegola stretch between Bengaluru and Hassan was commissioned on March 26 this year, almost 21 years after it was proposed. Railways has decided to run the following combined train four times a week along the new route that will be shorter than the present route through Mysuru.
A release said the KSR Bengaluru-Kannur-KSR Bengaluru (Train no. 16517/16518) and KSR Bengaluru-Karwar-KSR Bengaluru (Train no. 16523/16524) will run via the new line. Train numbers and timings have been changed, the release said.
From February 10, the diverted combined KSR Bengaluru- Kannur /Karwar Express via Shravanabelagola (Train No. 16511/16513) will leave KSR Bengaluru at 7.15 pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. It will reach Mangalore Central at 6.20 am the next day. This route will reduce travel time by 45 minutes.
Details of stops enroute (arrival/departure): Yesvantpur: 7.28/7.30 pm; Kunigal: 8.44/8.55 pm; Shravanabelagola: 9.51/9.52 pm; Channarayapatna: 10.01/10.02 pm; Hassan: 11.05/11.10 pm; Sakleshpur at 12.05/12.15 am; Subrahmanya Road at 3.30/3.35am, Bantawal at 4.58/5am and Mangalore Junction at 5.58am/6am.
From Mangalore Central, the KSR Bengaluru-Kannur Express (Train no. 16511) departs at 6.40am to reach Kannur at 10 am. Enroute the train arrives/departs at Kasargod at 7.28/7.30amPayyanur at 9.08/9.10am. From Mangalore Central, Train No. 16513, KSR Bengaluru- Karwar Express departs at 7 am to reach Karwar at 12:30 pm. Enroute, the train arrives/departs Suratkal at 7.51/7.52am; Udupi at 8.29/8.30am; Kundapur at 9.04/9.05am; Mookambika Road Byndoor at 9.40/09:41am; Bhatkal at 9.57/9.58am; Murudeshwar at 10:19/10.20am; Honnavar at 10:49/10:50am (experimental halt);Kumta at 11:03/11:04 am;Gokarna at 11:23/11:24am and Ankola at 11:35/11:36am.
In the return direction, the travel time between Mangalore Central and KSR Bengaluru gets reduced by 85 minutes. The diverted combined Train No. 16512/16514, Kannur/Karwar-KSR Bengaluru Express via Shravanabelagola will run on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from February 11 with no change in timings from Kannur/Karwar upto Hassan. From Hassan the train departs at 2:50 am to reach Bengaluru at 6:55 am. Enroute, the train arrives/departs Channarayapatna at 3.39/3:40 am; Shravanabelagola at 3.50/3.51 am, Kunigal at 4.59/5.00 am and Yesvantpur at 6.38/6.40 am.
“Days of service from Bengaluru have been made as Wednesday to Saturday for facilitating passengers travelling from Bengaluru to their native towns in the coastal region for weekends. Similarly, days of service from Mangaluru have been chosen as Sunday to Wednesday to facilitate passengers of coastal region visiting Bengaluru to attend office,” the release said.
The combined Tri-Weekly Train No. 16517/16523, KSR Bengaluru-Kannur/Karwar Express via Mysuru will run from February 11 on every Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. In the return direction Train No.
16518/16524 will run on every Thursday, Friday and Saturday with effect from February 15 without any change in existing timings.