Indian Railways will run three new Vande Bharat Express trains from Sunday (August 10). PM Narendra Modi will reportedly flag off the trains virtually. The new services will run on the Ajni (Nagpur)-Pune route, KSR Bengaluru-Belagavi route and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-Amritsar route. The latest additions to the semi high-speed trains will ease commuting along key regional routes and boost connectivity across Karnataka, Maharashtra, Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab.
Pune-Ajni Vande Bharat Express timings and fares
With the Ajni-Pune service, Maharashtra will get its 12th Vande Bharat service. According to railway officials, this route will particularly benefit businessmen, students and employees who frequently travel for work or leisure.
The train will operate six days a week, excluding Mondays. The train will leave Ajni at 9.50 am and reach Pune at 9.50 pm. On the return journey, it will depart Pune at 6.25 am and arrive in Ajni at 6.25 pm. Major halts will include Wardha, Badnera, Akola, Bhusawal, Jalgaon, Manmad, Kopargaon, Ahmednagar and Daund Chord Line.
Fares on this route are set at Rs 1,500 for CC and Rs 3,000 for executive chair (EC).
Belagavi-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express timings and fares
The Belagavi-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express in Karnataka will provide a faster, more comfortable travel option between northern and southern parts of the state. The trains will run under number 26751 Belagavi–KSR Bengaluru and 26752 KSR Bengaluru–Belagavi.
The train will operate six days a week, except Wednesdays. It will depart Belagavi at 5.20 am and reach Bengaluru at 1.50 pm. For the return journey, it will leave at 2.20 pm and arrive in Belagavi at 10.40 pm. Key halts include Yeshwantpur, Tumakuru, Devanagere, Haveri, Hubballi and Dharwad.
The fares on this route are set at Rs 1,575 for CC and Rs 2,905 for executive class, both inclusive of catering charges.
Amritsar-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Vande Bharat Express
The Amritsar-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Vande Bharat Express in the northern region is expected to boost connectivity between Amritsar and Jammu’s pilgrimage town of Katra.
The service, running six days a week except Tuesdays, will depart Katra at 6.40 am and reach Amritsar at 12.20 pm. The return will leave Amritsar at 4.25 pm and arrive in Katra at 10.00 pm, with halts at Jammu, Pathankot Cantt, Jalandhar City and Vyas.
Fares for this route are yet to be announced.