Sat Nov 01 05:51:34 UTC 2025: Summary:

The Ministry of Railways has approved a new Vande Bharat Express train between KSR Bengaluru and Ernakulam, passing through Coimbatore. The train will operate six days a week (excluding Wednesdays), offering significantly reduced travel times compared to existing services. Coimbatore NXT, a CII initiative, lauded the approval, highlighting the benefits for connectivity and urging further improvements to existing train routes and the introduction of new services. The announcement follows a statement by Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan regarding the imminent launch of the new train connecting textile hubs and a daily train to Ranchi.

News Article:

New Vande Bharat Express to Connect Bengaluru and Ernakulam via Coimbatore

Coimbatore, November 1, 2025 – The Ministry of Railways has greenlit the operation of a new Vande Bharat Express connecting KSR Bengaluru and Ernakulam, significantly boosting connectivity for Coimbatore and surrounding textile hubs. The train, running six days a week (excluding Wednesdays), promises faster travel times and enhanced convenience for passengers.

Train No. 26651 will depart Bengaluru at 5:10 AM, arriving in Ernakulam at 1:50 PM. The return journey, Train No. 26652, will leave Ernakulam at 2:20 PM, reaching Bengaluru at 11:00 PM. Key stops include Krishnarajapuram, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Palakkad, and Thrissur.

Coimbatore NXT, an initiative of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Coimbatore, has welcomed the announcement. They emphasized the train’s potential to provide faster connections to Bengaluru (5 hours 30 minutes) and Ernakulam (3 hours). The organization is urging Southern Railway to reduce travel time for the existing Coimbatore–Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express and introduce a new Vande Bharat Express from Coimbatore to Thiruvananthapuram via Ernakulam.

The approval follows statements from Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan, who recently highlighted the impending launch of this service and a daily train connecting Coimbatore to Ranchi. South Western Railway and Southern Railway have been directed to finalize an early launch date and widely publicize the new service. An inaugural special run may also be conducted before regular operations commence.

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